Scientists infect themselves with hookworms to treat allergies and autoimmune
Helminth therapy means deliberately infecting yourself with hookworms. It may help treat allergies, asthma and multiple sclerosis.
Hookworm larvae burrow into your skin and travel to your lungs. Hookworms crawl up your throat and settle in your intestines, where they drink your blood.
Hookworms may ease allergies, hay fever, asthma and multiple sclerosis. The worms make proteins that calm inflammation and reduce immune activity.
Dr Sheila Donnelly, a helminth researcher with links to the University of Technology Sydney, says there is now strong evidence for this approach. Most trial participants refuse a deworming tablet at the end of studies.
This is surprising. Some feel better physically and mentally.
Others see no harm in keeping the worms. Professor Alex Loukas from the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine infected himself at age 50 with general joint pain.
His pain went away. Larger-scale research shows mixed results.
But participants' willingness to keep living with parasites suggests something unexpected is happening.
- Necator americanus
- Worm species studied
- Prof Alex Loukas, age 50
- Researcher at age of infection
- General joint pain
- Loukas's condition treated
Why it mattersIf helminth therapy works, it could be a new treatment for conditions that have few good options right now.
AustraliaAustralian researchers are investigating whether controlled hookworm infection could help Australians with allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease avoid or reduce medication.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 53 min ago
