Study: Worm infection counters inflammatory bowel disease

[HuckleB]

Worm infection influences greater numbers of certain bacteria in the gut that help reduce inflammation.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/15/Study-Worm-infection-counters-inflammatory-bowel-disease/6871460722072/

"Worm infection may protect against inflammatory bowel diseases, according to a recent study, leading researchers to suggest a lack of exposure to worms in the overly-sanitized modern world is increasing cases of the conditions.

Researchers at New York University suggest exposure to worms, or at least to immune chemicals produced when worms are present in the gut, could prevent IBD in some people.

The worms trigger reactions in the gut microbiome -- the production of specific bacteria, clostridia, which help counter inflammation -- but in their absence, the researchers found inflammation occurs, leading to IBD.

The researchers say the findings support the hygiene hypothesis, a theory that too-clean homes, pervasive overuse of hand sanitizers and a general avoidance of "germs," has contributed to changes in the collection of bacteria in the gut essential to bodily function.

..."

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Interesante.

[mopinko]

1. sorta surprised it took this long.

this approach was being discussed 23 years ago, when my daughter was dx'd w crohn's.

[Bearware]

2. Actually people have been doing it for more than a decade with many serious autoimmune diseases

About a decade ago we were able to buy the medically prepared live eggs of the pig whipworm (Trichuris suis). The family member who took them had a form of autoimmune Celiac disease which caused serious CNS damage. A test verified, very strict gluten free diet for 1 1/2 years dramatically reduced gluten antibody levels but failed to stop the progression of the disease. At that point a single dose of 2500 eggs were taken every two weeks. After 12 weeks, gluten antibody levels fell further, motor skills stopped declining and started to improve.

There is a good news/bad news aspect. The good news is motor skills continued to improved for another 2 years with no significant side effects. The bad news is the eggs were from pigs and didn't have enough compatibility with humans to survive for more than two weeks. Each dose cost $400 making it a nicely profitable pharmaceutical not currently covered by insurance.

We also knew people with positive results who used it for Autism, MS, Crohn's, IBD etc.

A more cost effective approach is to take carefully selected human adapted helminths such as hookworms (Nacator americanis) or whipworms (Trichuris triciura). A single dose lasts from one to several years depending on species. Note, the number of eggs taken are far smaller than above and usually well less than 100. This is because the worms live far longer. A primary initial symptom for hookworms is potential itching at the inoculation site for a day or two. Neither species can directly infect their host without the eggs incubating outside the body. Flush toilets prevent spread to others. There are typically no obvious indications that a person can see that they are taking these helminths but it will be obvious on a blood test. If there are problems a single dose of a helminthicide will kill all the
species in the body.

Live eggs of either species are currently not sold in stores but are available outside the US. One needs to do their homework but this can be a very effective approach to a number of serious autoimmune diseases that don't currently have either effective, inexpensive or relatively side effect free pharmaceuticals.

[Thor_MN]

3. I wonder if this plays a factor in that women are two times more likely to have IBS.

The assumption being, that in general, we men are pigs and less likely to lead overly-sanitized lives...

[Warren DeMontague]

4. Dudes in the picture: "note we're still wearing gloves, though"