Parasitic worms used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis
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by DPS
Leeches have been known to assist in certain medical treatments but now parasitic worms are benefiting patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study in the ‘Annals of Neurology’.
When they invade the human body, parasites are known to depress the host’s immune system to prolong their own survival. In a study of 24 patients, half with a current parasitic worm infection, those with the infection had fewer relapses over a 4.6 year period compared to the others in the study.
As MS is the result of an overactive immune system, the study suggested that mimicking a parasite infection could be an effective treatment.
