Using parasites to protect ourselves

Can parasitic worms be good for us? Gut-dwelling worms are very good at surviving inside their human hosts. They do this in part by manipulating and regulating our immune system. We can exploit this remarkable ability by using controlled doses of living worms to treat autoimmune and allergic disorders.

Kathryn Else and Marcus Svensson

Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the head of a parasitic hookworm. Infestations of hookworm in humans are common in sub-tropical regions such as North Africa and India. Human infestation begins with larvae penetrating the skin, usually by burrowing into the feet of a person, and entering the bloodstream.The larvae then migrate throughout the body, particularly to the small intestine. ×280

Parasite

Immune response