What Are the Hidden Costs of Modern Hygiene?
August 28, 2013 at 10:07 am
http://www.plosntds.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0000538#s4…I don’t understand most of the article – but this part jumped out at me.
“…Helminth infection can have a broad impact on the entire immune system. Infection with trematode and nematode parasites, for example, correlates with a reduced incidence of atopic, allergic-type disorders [64]. Thus, helminth infection might potentially be useful as a novel therapy for allergic or autoimmune diseases [65]. Recently, worms, eggs, or purified nematode parasite protein have been used in preclinical and clinical trials to protect humans from allergy and autoimmunity (reviewed in [66]–[70]), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis [71],[72].
Other studies have shown that substances produced by helminths, for example Ascaris suum, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, and Acanthocheilonema viteae, can directly interfere with allergic responses or with development of allergen-specific Th2 responses [73]–[75]. ES-62, a molecule secreted by the filarial nematode A. viteae, directly inhibits the FceRI-induced release of mediators from mast cells, protects against mast-cell–dependent hypersensitivity in skin and lungs [76] and inhibits collagen-induced arthritis [77]. Research is underway to develop molecules that mimic the activity of ES-62 as drugs for allergic and autoimmune diseases [66]. Other helminth-derived products have the potential to reduce allergic responses.
These products include schistosomal lysophosphatidylserine (lyso-PS) [61] and thioredoxin peroxidase from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica [78]. These findings demonstrated that helminths produce products that can interfere with both the development of allergic responses and the workings of host effector mechanisms.”
Of course this research will be used to create drugs.
