Parasitic worms could offer a new treatment hope for patients suffering from the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis, scientists believe.
Academics at The University of Nottingham have begun recruiting people suffering from the neurological condition on to a trial that will see them infected with a low, harmless dose of the helminth parasite Necator americanus — or hookworm.
The scientists are hoping to prove that the presence of hookworms in the body switches off the mechanism by which the body’s immune system becomes overactive — the main cause of MS — and can reduce both the severity of symptoms and the number of relapses experienced by the patients.
The study is being led by Cris Constantinescu, Professor of Neurology in the University’s School of Clinical Sciences and a leading MS expert, and David Pritchard, Professor of Parasite Immunology in the University’s School of Pharmacy, who has spent decades studying the biology of the hookworm.
Follow this link to see the full article on the university's main webpage.
Posted on Monday 5th March 2012