Oxidative stress and intracellular infections: more iron to the fire.

The immune system's battle against pathogens includes the "respiratory burst," a rapid release of ROS from leukocytes, thought to play a role in destroying the invading species. In this issue of the JCI, Paiva et al. demonstrate that oxidative stress actually enhances infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, by a mechanism that may involve facilitating parasite access to iron. Their findings suggest a novel direction for the development of drugs against intracellular parasites.