Bowel research: It's not a treatment for the faint-hearted or squeamish but scientists have found worms could be a new treatment for Crohn's disease.
In a small study, researchers at the University of Iowa in the US found that parasitic worms, or helminths, relieved the symptoms of patients suffering from the bowel 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 say in a study published this week 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 countries 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 per cent and the remission rate was 73 per cent.
Unlike tapeworms which could cause disease, the researchers said the worms (known as helminths) used in the study had a short lifespan which minimised the risk of colonisation.
Once the eggs hatch, the worms gather in the bowel and suppress the body's immune response which lessens the inflammation.
The team adds: "Helminths may offer an easy-to-administer alternative or supplement to currently available therapeutic agents." The researchers stress their results meant more research into the effectiveness of such treatment was justified.
Although more 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. - (Reuters)