The helminth provider Autoimmune Therapies (AIT) was founded by former marketing executive, Jasper Lawrence, former medical student, Garin Aglietti, and clinical scientist, Marc Dellerba. AIT became the first company to sell the human hookworm, Necator americanus (NA).
Full Answer
When was helminthic therapy first used in humans?
The first clinical studies of helminthic therapy in humans started about 10–15 years ago with the use of Trichirus suis. While helminths are often considered a homogenous group, considerable differences exist between species and the species used in clinical research varies between human and animal trials.
Can helminths be used to cure disease?
There is a large and growing body of research and anecdotal experience that supports the use of helminths to cure disease, or that indicates that helminthic therapy can be used to cure disease.
What is helminthic therapy for nematodes?
Helminthic therapy. Helminthic therapy consists of the inoculation of the patient with specific parasitic intestinal nematodes (helminths). A number of such organisms are currently being investigated for their use as treatment including: Trichuris suis ova, commonly known as pig whipworm eggs; Necator americanus,...
What is helminthic therapy for autoimmune diseases?
Helminthic therapy, an experimental type of immunotherapy, is the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by means of deliberate infestation with a helminth or with the eggs of a helminth. Helminths are parasitic worms such as hookworms, whipworms, and threadworms that have evolved to live within...
Who controls helminth?
Approximately 1.5 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths worldwide. Control is based on periodical deworming to eliminate infecting worms, health education to prevent re-infection, and improved sanitation to reduce soil contamination with infective eggs.
What does Helminthic therapy do?
Helminth therapy involves giving a person helminth parasites, such as hookworm, that will live in their body. This type of therapy may help treat certain health conditions, such as Crohn's disease, allergies, and ASD.
How are helminths diseases treated?
Helminths are thought to help treat these diseases by inhibiting the body's immune response, which in turn reduces inflammation. To begin the treatment, you will receive an injection of the worm's eggs or drink several doses of a liquid containing the worm's eggs.
Which helminthic disease is most common in the United States?
EnterobiasisMost common helminthic infection in the U.S.Prevalence in the US: ∼ 12%Primarily affects children 5–10 years of age.
Why has dog whip worm been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease?
“Once the body recognizes the whipworm infection, it produces strong antibody and anti-inflammatory responses. This anti-inflammatory response is responsible for eliminating or reducing IBD symptoms. ”
Can worms treat autoimmune disease?
Recently, researchers have found that a certain kind of parasitic worms, called helminths, may have health benefits, specifically in autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which the body attacks healthy cells or recognizes positive “self” cells as dangerous.
What is helminthic disease?
Helminthiasis, also known as worm infection, is any macroparasitic disease of humans and other animals in which a part of the body is infected with parasitic worms, known as helminths. There are numerous species of these parasites, which are broadly classified into tapeworms, flukes, and roundworms.
WHO report on intestinal parasites?
According to the WHO report, about 24% (1.5 billion) of the world people have been infected with intestinal parasitic infections mainly hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura [7]. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection surpasses 50% in several areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [7].
Which among the following is helminthic disease?
So, the correct answer is 'Filariasis'
What is the most common helminthic infection in the world?
Geohelminthiasis or soil-transmitted helminths (commonly known as intestinal worms) are the most common infections worldwide and affect the poorest communities. The causative agents are the nematodes, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale).
Which group has the highest rate of helminth infections?
The highest schistosome infection rates are found in those aged 10–19 years, but adult workers in rural areas who either work or are employed in activities associated with water contact are also affected [16,17,18].
What are 3 examples of Helminthic infections that we can see in humans and dogs?
Some of the most important and well-known human zoonoses are caused by worm or helminth parasites, including species of nematodes (trichinellosis), cestodes (cysticercosis, echinococcosis) and trematodes (schistosomiasis).
When was helminth therapy first used?
The first clinical studies of helminthic therapy in humans started about 10–15 years ago with the use of Trichirus suis. While helminths are often considered a homogenous group, considerable differences exist between species and the species used in clinical research varies between human and animal trials.
Why are helminths important?
As keystone organisms, helminths are central to correcting immune dysregulation, and their replenishment may prevent disease. The biome depletion hypothesis departs from a drug model approach, which remains the current focus of helminthic therapy as evidenced by numerous clinical trials now underway for existing disease states.
How do helminths help with autoimmune disease?
Most autoimmune disorders are believed to involve hyperactive TH1 or TH17 immune responses that are down-regulated by the promotion of a TH2 response by helminths. Helminths secrete immunoregulatory molecules that promote the induction of regulatory T cells while inhibiting the function of antigen presenting cells and other T cells. As such, helminthic therapy attempts to restore homeostasis by shifting a hyperactive TH1 pro-inflammatory response to a TH2 response with reduced inflammation.
What are Helminths?
Helminths are parasitic worms such as hookworms, whipworms, and threadworms that have evolved to live within a host organism on which they rely for nutrients. These worms are members of two phyla: nematodes, which are primarily used in human helminthic therapy, and flat worms ( trematodes ). Helminthic therapy consists of the inoculation ...
How do old friends modify the hygiene hypothesis?
The old friends hypothesis modifies the hygiene hypothesis by proposing that regulatory T cells can only become fully effective if they are stimulated by exposure to microorganisms and parasites that have low levels of pathogenicity and that have coexisted universally with human beings throughout our evolutionary history. This hypothesis has recently been given more credibility by a study demonstrating the impact of infectious organisms, and helminths in particular, upon genes responsible for the production of various cytokines, some involved in the regulation of inflammation, in particular those associated with the development of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease.
Does helminthic therapy suppress immune system?
Given the down regulation of TH1 and TH17 immune responses with helminthic therapy, immune responses to other pathogens and allergens may be suppressed. Consequently, unmonitored and uncontrolled helminthic infections may be associated with suppressed immunity to the viruses and bacteria that normally trigger TH1 and TH17 immune responses required for protection against them, leading to illness or disease.
Does helminthic infection reduce autoimmune disease?
Evidence in support of the idea that helminthic infections reduce the severity of autoim mune diseases is primarily derived from animal models. Studies conducted on mice and rat models of colitis, muscular sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and asthma have shown helminth-infected subjects to display protection from the disease.
How successful is Helminthic treatment?
There is estimated to be an astounding 80% success rate amongst the Helminthic Treatment community and many credit their old friends with having saved them from a life of crippling disease and dependence upon pharmaceuticals with ever worsening side effects. You can read many accounts and general discussions about Helminthic Treatment on the Yahoo and Facebook HT support groups:
Who treated NOD mice with helminths?
In 1999 Professor Anne Cooke treated NOD (Non Obese Diabetic) mice with helminths with the result that they blocked the development of type 1 diabetes. [ link]
What is the purpose of Necator hookworms?
In 2004 Dr David Pritchard was one of the first to pioneer the use of Necator americanus hookworms in treating immune dysfunction. During field work in Papua New Guinea Dr Pritchard had observed that local people colonized with hookworm were less likely to suffer allergic and immune disorders. The success of an initial experiment involving self-colonization led to a 2006 study at Nottingham University with 30 participants, 15 of whom received 10 hookworms each. The results showed that those who had hookworms began to experience a lower inflammatory response, and that their immune reactions became suppressed compared to those on the placebo. [ link]
What was the hookworm trial?
In 2014 Dr John Croese collaborated with scientists at the James Cook University in Queensland, Australia to trial the effects of hookworm in patients with Celiac disease. Subjects were inoculated with 20 Necator americanus larvae and exposed to escalating gluten challenge over 12 months. By the end of the trial subjects were able to consume a medium-sized bowl of spaghetti with no ill effects, a meal that would normally have triggered diarrhea, cramps and vomiting. All subjects chose to keep their worms after completing the trial. [Link]
Why do helminths have T cells?
He found that mice hosting parasitic worms created more regulatory T cells which modulate the immune response by secreting compounds that counteract the inflammatory effects of other immune cells. [link 1, 2]
Why are helminths considered immune regulators?
Helminths have been proven to be potent immune regulators through secreted/excreted molecules that enable them to evade their hosts defences and survive by stimulating production ...
What is the theory of hygiene?
The theory that emerged from his observations has become known as the Hygiene Hypothesis. This concept has since developed into the Old Friends Theory which states that the human body has an internal ecosystem or biome which should include a large and varied number of micro and macroorganisms in order for the immune system to properly function. Due to rapid changes in the modern urbanised environment, we have lost contact with many of these necessary organisms and this has damaged the development of our immune systems leading to unchecked inflammatory responses that result in allergic dysfunction and autoimmune diseases.
What is helminthic therapy?
Helminthic therapy is the reintroduction to the digestive tract of a controlled number of specially domesticated, safe, mutualistic helminths (intestinal worms) in the form of microscopic eggs or larvae to treat and prevent disease .
Why is helminth replacement important?
The term, “ helminthic therapy ” may suggest that this might be just another therapeutic option that one can try in the hope of fixing some health issue that has not responded adequately to other forms of treatment, but helminth replacement is actually far more than this, because the continuing presence of helminths is fundamental to human health.
What is a helminth with a flat, ribbon-like, segmented body?
Hymenolepis diminuta, a murine (rat) tapeworm.
How long does helminth disease last?
Even helminth hosts who see early benefits can continue to experience periodic exacerbations or flares of their disease for up to 18 months, and a few may need to continue to take medication alongside helminthic therapy in the longterm. I have had success only while taking TSO plus Humira.
Is helminthic therapy a one size fits all solution?
And approximately 25% of those who try helminthic therapy do not respond at all. Helminthic therapy is also not a one-size-fits-all solution, nor a one dose fix. Dosing needs to be tailored to the unique needs of each individual, and continued indefinitely in the vast majority of cases.
Is helminthic therapy contraindicated?
Helminthic therapy in practice. Helminthic therapy is contraindicated for people with certain conditions. Known and possible contraindications for the use of helminthic therapy. Some conditions require a much more gradual approach to dosing. Conditions that require a modified approach to helminth dosing.
Is helminthic therapy safe?
Helminthic therapy is very safe. For details, see the following page.
What is Helminthic Therapy?
Helminthic therapy is a relatively new treatment which takes the form of deliberate infection with the larvae or eggs of specially domesticated, benign, mutualistic intestinal worms. Viewed from a medical perspective, this therapy is an experimental form of immunotherapy used in the treatment of chronic inflammation, ...
What worms are good for weight loss?
The giant roundworm ( Ascaris lumbricoides — see illustration) has been shown to sometimes help against asthma, atopic dermatitis and similar allergic reactions, but this is not a suitable species for therapeutic use. The beef tapeworm ( Taenia saginata) has been used for weight loss.
Is helminthic therapy FDA approved?
Although it does not yet have FDA approval for use in medical practice, helminthic therapy is (almost) legitimate medicine, with considerable supporting research published in peer-reviewed journals.
Can a giant roundworm be used for asthma?
The giant roundworm ( Ascaris lumbricoides — see illustration) has been shown to sometimes help against asthma, atopic dermatitis and similar allergic reactions, but this is not a suitable species for therapeutic use.
Is intestinal helminthic disease preventative?
Evidence is beginning to emerge that hosting an intestinal helminthic community may be preventative and in some cases therapeutic for immune disorders,13 including atopic and immune-mediated diseases,14 multiple sclerosis,15 atherosclerosis,16 autoimmune liver disease,17 allergic rhinitis,18 and perhaps even autism.19 I’ll sort out the history, risks, benefits and availability by organism.
Do helminths have adaptive physiology?
Geographical areas with higher concentrations of helminthic infection tend to have human populations with more genes associated with autoimmune disease,12 lending support to the idea that hyper-inflammatory responses associated with autoimmune disease may have historically been effective adaptive physiology in the presence of helminths, which now manifests as pathology in the absence of helminths.
What is helminth therapy?
Helminth therapy, also known as helminthic therapy, is an experimental therapy in which people intentionally infect themselves with live helminth parasites. As helminths can alter a person’s immune response, some people believe that helminthic therapy may, one day, help doctors treat some autoimmune and allergic diseases.
What is a helminth?
Helminths are a large group of worm-like parasites, which include:
What is needed to progress helminth therapy?
If helminth therapy is to progress, scientists will need to weigh the alleged benefits of helminth therapy against the known issues. They will also need to understand how to reduce the risk of helminth-induced health problems.
Is helminth therapy effective?
Scientists do not yet know whether helminth therapy can be effective.
Does helminth therapy help with autism?
Therefore, some researchers speculate that helminth therapy might, one day, help some people with ASD.
Can helminths be used as a treatment?
Currently, doctors in the United States cannot prescribe helminth therapy as a treatment. However, researchers can test certain types of worms in humans to explore whether they have the potential to treat certain conditions.
Can helminths help with autoimmune diseases?
As allergic disorders and autoimmune diseases happen when a person’s immune system malfunctions, the immunosuppressant effects of certain helminths may help some people with these conditions.
What is helminthic therapy?
Helminthic therapy, or less accurately worm therapy, is an idea derived from the hygiene hypothesis. It is impossible to understand helminthic therapy without first understanding the hygiene hypothesis. What the hygiene hypothesis tells us is that a lack of early childhood exposure to infectious agents and parasites increases susceptibility ...
Is hookworm a drug?
This is particularly true given its apparent safety and efficacy when compared to modern drugs. If for instance one regards hookworm or TSO as a drug, or more correctly a drug delivery system, it is one that has been in use by humans and their genetic ancestors for millions of years.
Can helminths cure disease?
There is a large and growing body of research and anecdotal experience that supports the use of helminths to cure disease, or that indicates that helminthic therapy can be used to cure disease.
Is there a single source for helminthic therapy?
We want to make information regarding helminthic therapy more accessible by aggregating what is available in one place. There is no comprehensive and single source regarding helminthic therapy currently available.
What is helminth therapy?
Helminthic therapy involves the deliberate hosting of a controlled number of carefully selected, benign intestine-dwelling nematodes (worms) known as helminths. This is a type of organism with which people living in developed countries have gradually lost contact during the past 150 years as a result of the increasing use of shoes and toilets, and of changes in medical, agricultural and food preparation and storage practices.
How long does it take for helminths to produce results?
All the helminth species have shown themselves to be capable of producing surprisingly rapid results in some cases, although benefits rarely become consistent with any species until at least 12 weeks after the first inoculation.
What is feed back in helminths?
This section contains a lot of detail that is critically important for anyone looking to obtain therapeutic helminths, but feed-back indicates that a significant number of readers overlook some of the details that are most important to them. Since this has caused unnecessary inconvenience and increased expense in several cases, readers are urged to review the following details very carefully.
Can helminths be treated without a doctor?
Using helminthic therapy is very similar to taking a bacterial probiotic, which most people do without involving their doctor, but it can be helpful to have the support of a physician while self-treating with helminths. For example, they will be able to prescribe an immunosuppressant drug to ease helminth side effects if these become unduly troublesome, or prescribe an anthelminthic drug if termination of a worm colony were to become necessary. But exactly how much to involve a physician is a matter for each self-treater to decide for themselves, based on their knowledge of their own practitioner.
Is there a definitive guideline for helminth therapy?
Since this therapy is still at the experimental stage, there are not yet any definitive guidelines for its use. Therefore, each would-be helminth self-treater should familiarise themselves with as much information as possible before proceeding. The documents in the Files sections of the Facebook Helminthic Therapy Support Group and the Yahoo Helminthic Therapy Forum are there to help self-treaters with this process, and they represent the best information available beyond what can be gleaned about each species from those who supply them.
Is helminthic therapy contraindicated?
Helminthic therapy is contraindicated for subjects with certain diseases, and some conditions require a much more gradual approach to dosing. An experienced provider can help to ensure that the self-treater’s suitability for the therapy is carefully assessed, based on their medical history, and that a dosing regimen is determined that will enable them to make progress as quickly and cheaply as possible while avoiding the worst side effects.
Do helminths have immunity?
It is clear, both from scientific studies and the personal experience of helminthic therapy self-treaters, that a single species of worm is all that is required in most cases to modulate host immunity and halt existing immune-related disorders , as well as protecting the host from the development of many other conditions associated with a helminth deficiency. However, different species of helminth can produce different effects.
The Origins of Helminth Deficiency in Industrialised Populations
- The second half of the 19th century saw the beginning of the end for many helminthsin industrialised nations. 1. The indoor flush toilet became widely adopted during this period of increasing urbanisation and industrial prosperity, coinciding with a dramatic expansion of the se…
Recognition of The Effects of Helminth Deficiency
- 1932
1. The first description of regional ileitis. This condition, characterised by inflammation of the terminal ileum, would later become known as Crohn’s disease. Its appearance at this time was arguably a result of the increasing loss of helminthsfrom the human biome due to factors includ… - 1968
1. The first observation by a researcher of a possible relationship between a reduction in parasiticcolonisation and an increased incidence of autoimmune disease.
Helminthic Therapy Today
- Today, there are two distinct approaches being taken to helminthic therapy. Firstly, medical researchers are working towards developing pharmaceutical products by synthesising molecules mined from helminth excretory/secretory products. In this approach, clinicians working within mainstream medicine will be unable to offer helminthic therapy to their patients until researcher…
See Also
- For a general introduction to helminthic therapy, see the following page. 1. Introduction to helminthic therapy The following list of 900 scientific papers encompasses the history of helminthic therapyresearch. 1. Helminthic therapy research The next two pages give more detail about specific aspects of helminthic therapyhistory. 1. The evolution of hookworm dosing 1. His…
Overview
Helminthic therapy, an experimental type of immunotherapy, is the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by means of deliberate infestation with a helminth or with the eggs of a helminth. Helminths are parasitic worms such as hookworms, whipworms, and threadworms that have evolved to live within a host organism on which they rely for nutrients. These worms are members of two phyla: nematodes, which are primarily used in human helminthic therapy, and fla…
Incidence of autoimmune diseases and parasitic infestation
While it is recognized that there is probably a genetic disposition in certain individuals for the development of autoimmune diseases, the rate of increase in incidence of autoimmune diseases is not a result of genetic changes in humans; the increased rate of autoimmune-related diseases in the industrialized world is occurring in too short a time to be explained in this way. There is evidence that one of the primary reasons for the increase in autoimmune diseases in industrializ…
Hypotheses
Although the mechanism(s) of autoimmune disease development is(are) not fully understood, there is broad agreement that the majority of autoimmune diseases are caused by inappropriate immunological responses to innocuous antigens; these are generally called the hygiene hypothesis, but exist in several variants.
One version proposes that the dysfunction is driven by a branch of the immune system known as …
Proposed mechanism of action
Experimental data support the hypothesis that clinically induced helminthic infections have the ability to alleviate or mitigate immune responses. Most autoimmune disorders are believed to involve hyperactive TH1 or TH17 immune responses that are down-regulated by the promotion of a TH2 response by helminths. Helminths secrete immunoregulatory molecules that promote the induction of regulatory T cells while inhibiting the function of antigen presenting cells and other …
Research
Evidence in support of the idea that helminthic infections reduce the severity of autoimmune diseases is primarily derived from animal models. Studies conducted on mice and rat models of colitis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and asthma have shown helminth-infected subjects to display protection from the disease. The first clinical studies of helminthic therapy in humans started about 10–15 years ago with the use of Trichirus suis. While helminths are often consider…
Potential side effects
Helminths are extremely successful parasites capable of establishing long-lasting infections within a host. During this time, helminths compete with the host organism's cells for nutrient resources and thus possess the potential to cause harm. However, the number of organisms hosted by individuals undergoing helminthic therapy is very small and any side effects are typically only encountered in the first three months of infection. In the long term, the vast majorit…
See also
• Antihelminthics
• Diseases of affluence
• Effects of parasitic worms on the immune system
• Gut flora
Bibliography
• Velasquez-Manoff, Moises (2013). An Epidemic of Absence: A new way of understanding allergies and autoimmune diseases. Scribner. ISBN 978-1439199398.
• Dunn, Rob (2011). The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, parasites, and partners that shape who we are today. Harper. ISBN 978-0061806483.