Worms Relieve Symptoms of Bowel Disorder – Study

It’s not a treatment for the faint-hearted or squeamish but scientists said on Tuesday that worms could be a new treatment for a bowel disease.

In a small study, researchers at the University of Iowa in the United States found that parasitic worms, or helminths, relieved the symptoms of patients suffering from Crohn’s disease which causes inflammation, abdominal pain and weight loss. “This new therapy may offer a unique, safe and efficacious alternative for Crohn’s disease management,” Dr Robert Summers and his colleagues said in a study published in the journal Gut. Parasitic worms, such as tapeworms, are not common in people living in developed countries where the rate of Crohn’s disease is high. The illness is rare in nations where people carry parasitic worms. The scientists tested the impact of a species of worm called Trichuris suis, which is commonly found in pigs, on 29 patients with Crohn’s disease. The patients swallowed 2,500 live eggs concealed in a drink every three weeks for 24 weeks. By the end of the trial 23 of 29 patients said their symptoms had improved. Summers and his colleagues said the response rate was 80 percent and the remission rate was 73 percent. Unlike tapeworms which could cause disease, the researchers said the worms they used in the study have a short lifespan which minimizes the risk of colonization. Once the eggs hatch, the worms gather in the bowel and suppress the body’s immune response which lessens the inflammation. Although more research and larger studies are needed, Summers and his team believe the worms could be used either alone or combined with medication to treat patients with the illness.(Source: University of Iowa, Reuters Health, December 2004)