NEWS - Crohn's disease may respond to parasite therapy

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Crohn's disease may respond to parasite therapy

Last Updated: 2004-12-14 8:00:27 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Karla Gale

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Patients with Crohn's disease, a chronic

inflammatory bowel disease, who do not respond to conventional

treatment, may get symptom relief by swallowing parasite eggs.

Specifically, treatment with the eggs of the intestinal parasite

helminth Trichuris suis may be a safe and effective treatment for

Crohn's disease, according to the results of a small, preliminary trial

conducted at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Crohn's disease is common in countries where infection with intestinal

parasites is rare, but uncommon in countries where it frequently occurs,

Dr. Weinstock and his colleagues explain in the journal Gut.

T. suis is not a natural human parasite, but primary affects pigs. The

eggs of this parasite can infect the human gut for a short time without

spreading to other parts of the body, the researchers explain.

Using this information, Weinstock's group enrolled 29 patients who had

moderately severe Crohn's disease that did not respond to standard

treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.

Every three weeks, patients consumed a commercial drink containing 2500

ova of this parasite, while all their other medications were held

constant.

Four patients withdrew by week 12 because of ongoing activity of Crohn's

disease and one patient withdrew because of pregnancy.

In remaining patients, by week 24, almost 80 percent showed a response

to treatment and about 72 percent were in Crohn's disease remission.

The treatment appeared to be free of side effects or complications, and

none of the patients developed new symptoms during the trial.

" We think that this treatment works by enhancing regulatory aspects of

the immune system, " Weinstock told Reuters Health.

In fact, treatment was so effective that it is " being explored as a

possible therapy for multiple sclerosis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and

other immune diseases, " he added.

Weinstock also cautioned, however, that this was a small, open-label

trial, and further study is required before this treatment can be

recommended.

SOURCE: Gut, January 2005

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