- People with inflammatory bowel disease could soon be
swallowing worms in an effort to relieve their symptoms.
-
- Scientists in the United States have developed a drink
containing thousands of pig whipworm eggs.
-
- Trials suggest it can dramatically reduce the abdominal
pain, bleeding and diarrhoea associated with the disease.
-
- According to a report in New Scientist, the drink, which
is called TSO, could be on sale in Europe by May if it is approved for
use by regulators.
-
- Effective treatment
-
- A number of studies have suggested that live worms could
be an effective treatment for conditions like Crohn's disease and colitis,
known collectively as inflammatory bowel disease
-
- In fact, some scientists believe the eradication of worms
from human stomachs over the past 50 years may be behind the rise in these
conditions.
-
- As the number of infections by parasites, such as roundworms
and human whipworms, has fallen, the number of people being diagnosed with
inflammatory bowel disease has increased.
-
- In contrast, the condition is still rare in developing
countries where parasitic infections remain common.
-
- Scientists at the University of Iowa say they have tested
their product on 200 people with the condition. They opted for pig whipworms
because they do not survive very long in humans.
-
- They say symptoms disappeared in most of those who took
part in the trial. The findings are due to be announced at a conference
in the United States in May.
-
- "With our new impressive results, we can come out
of the closet," said Dr Joel Weinstock, a gastroenterologist at the
University who has developed the treatment.
-
- The product will be made by German company BioCure. It
has applied to the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products
for an EU-wide license to sell the product. Patients would take TSO around
twice a month.
-
- Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and other forms of
inflammatory bowel disease appear to be caused by an overactive immune
system, which causes inflammation in the digestive system.
-
- The condition is incurable, and normal treatments include
steroids, which can reduce the inflammation, although these have been known
to produce side effects.
-
- © BBC MMIV
-
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3604189.stm
|
