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The Worm Turns
NY Times ^ | June 29, 2008 | MOISES VELASQUEZ-MANOFF

Posted on 07/03/2008 8:12:29 PM PDT by neverdem

In the early 1990s, Joel Weinstock, a gastroenterologist, encountered a puzzle. The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (I.B.D.) across North America increased markedly during the 20th century. Many thought that “bad” genes would eventually explain the spike, but Weinstock didn’t buy it. In areas where fewer than two generations ago the I.B.D. incidence might have been as low as 1 in 10,000, it...

--snip--

If eliminating worms led to an increase in disease, could re-introducing worms actually treat these diseases? In mice, the answer was yes. Worms were used to “inoculate” against mouse asthma, Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and I.B.D. But how to re-worm humans? We got rid of them for a reason. Too many worms can lead to anemia or obstructed bowels. The wrong kind can cause considerable suffering, even death.

Weinstock spotted a prime candidate on pig farms. Pig farmers are chronically exposed to Trichuris suis, the pig whipworm, and tolerate it with no apparent side effects. (This is not the potentially dangerous worm found in undercooked pork.)

In 2005, he published results from two human studies. After ingesting 2,500 microscopic T. suis eggs at 3-week intervals for 24 weeks, 23 of 29 Crohn’s patients responded positively. (Crohn’s disease belongs to the I.B.D. family, which also includes ulcerative colitis.) Twenty-one went into complete remission. In the second study, 13 of 30 ulcerative colitis patients improved compared with 4 in the 24-person placebo group.

Scientists around the world are intrigued. Several large studies are under way. Trials using T. suis eggs on patients with multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s and hay fever are beginning in the United States, Australia and Denmark, respectively. In Germany, scientists are planning studies on asthma and food allergies. Other European scientists, meanwhile, plan to replicate many of these experiments with Necator americanus, a human hookworm...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: autoimmunedisorders; health; helminths; medicine
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pics of unnamed helminths

Enter Weinstock j and helminths at PubMed's query box.

1 posted on 07/03/2008 8:12:30 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

The FDA is poisoning us by trying so hard to protect us.


2 posted on 07/03/2008 8:19:35 PM PDT by Libertarianize the GOP (Make all taxes truly voluntary)
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To: neverdem

Worms, the new white meat.


3 posted on 07/03/2008 8:22:10 PM PDT by SouthTexas (Invert the 5-4 and you have no rights.)
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To: austinmark; FreedomCalls; IslandJeff; JRochelle; MarMema; Txsleuth; Newtoidaho; texas booster; ...

FReepmail me if you want on or off the diabetes ping list.

The story is more about the cause and possible treatment of autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease and type 1 diabetes, so I added a couple of names to the list for this ping.


4 posted on 07/03/2008 8:22:24 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: Libertarianize the GOP
It's what I've been saying about all the hand-washing and anti-microbial lotions all along. Hygiene is important, but we seem to be losing our tolerance to the most common of germs.
5 posted on 07/03/2008 8:24:53 PM PDT by benjamin032
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To: neverdem
inflammatory bowel disease (I.B.D.)

This is Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, which are not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Disease, which is more symptom than pathology.

6 posted on 07/03/2008 8:26:50 PM PDT by Plutarch
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To: neverdem
thanks, for the ping...I was just reading that article.
7 posted on 07/03/2008 8:26:55 PM PDT by skinkinthegrass (If you aren't "advancing" your arguments,your losing "the battle of Ideas"...libs,hates the facts 8^)
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To: neverdem

WORMS?... Leeches?.. WHats next the health benefits of VAMPIRE BATS?..


8 posted on 07/03/2008 8:28:06 PM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: neverdem

I’m off to go eat some dirt.


9 posted on 07/03/2008 8:29:36 PM PDT by Marie2 (It's time for a ban on handgun bans)
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To: neverdem

I have seen this theory referred to before. Crohn’s disease is virtually unknown in third-world countries. It has been postulated that our obsession with cleanliness in the U. S. is contributing to IBD and Crohn’s disease. The absence of natural bacteria in the intestines causes the body to attack itself. Mom was right when she said a little dirt will not kill you!

I have had Crohn’s for 22 years. It’s a bit late for me to go the worm route since I’ve had much of my “innards” removed but it’s definitely an interesting idea.


10 posted on 07/03/2008 8:30:56 PM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: neverdem

Interesting, I’d like to read more but I guess I’ll have to sign up at the NYT something I’ve always resisted.


11 posted on 07/03/2008 8:34:31 PM PDT by Ditter
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To: neverdem
I think I saw a movie about this...


12 posted on 07/03/2008 8:35:54 PM PDT by gnarledmaw (It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration.)
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To: neverdem

Add me to the list, please.


13 posted on 07/03/2008 8:39:00 PM PDT by irishtenor (Check out my blog at http://boompa53.blogspot.com/)
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To: hosepipe
WORMS?... Leeches?.. WHats next the health benefits of VAMPIRE BATS?..

Take two Badger bites and call me in the morning.

14 posted on 07/03/2008 8:43:46 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: neverdem

My off the cuff idea is if a human is host to worms then it is feeding a guest.

If worms are feeding on our digested or perhaps to much high fat/portion size ect then the worm is just eating what our body cannot absorb.

Hmm sound like a diet wieght lose program to me.

of course puking them up or pooping them out if they over multiply could be a huge freaky moment.


15 posted on 07/03/2008 8:50:32 PM PDT by Global2010 (OKIE DOKIE)
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To: neverdem

bookmark


16 posted on 07/03/2008 9:03:01 PM PDT by southland (Matt. 24:6 , By their fruits ye will know them, Matt 7:16, 7:20 ,typical white guy)
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To: Global2010
Hmm sound like a diet wieght lose program to me.

I had a patient with an eating disorder who ate fleas. She was hoping to get tapeworms from them. Ooooh, the quest to be skinny.

17 posted on 07/03/2008 9:06:46 PM PDT by sockmonkey
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To: sockmonkey
Too bad. Dog and cat tapes won't live in humans. They're host specific. And she'd have to really look around the hyper-clean U.S. to find a human flea.

She shoulda checked the Merck manual before she ate all those nasty fleas . . . . .

18 posted on 07/03/2008 9:09:33 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: wayoverthehill

Would the yogurts that have the live bacteria help with Crohn’s symptoms?


19 posted on 07/03/2008 9:17:39 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: sockmonkey

SHoulda have suggest to her she go stand in a pile of dog doo 3 times a day.


20 posted on 07/03/2008 9:20:23 PM PDT by Global2010 (OKIE DOKIE)
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