Summary: Infecting Patients with Parasites to Treat Disease Episode 48 - by Stefanie Vogt (Click here to directly access the MP3) (Access the full text transcript) Going to the doctor, you might expect to receive a vaccination, a prescription for medicine, maybe a referral for therapy or surgery. But there’s one new experimental treatment gaining acceptance that you certainly wouldn’t expect – prescription parasites! Recent studies from the labs of Drs. Joel Weinstock and P’ng Loke have shown that parasitic worms may be a safe and effective treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. But after centuries of medicine dedicated to wiping out parasites, the question is, why would infecting ourselves be beneficial? Listen to the podcast to learn more. Sources: Graham A.W. Rook. (2012) A Darwinian view of the Hygiene or “Old Friends” Hypothesis. Jon Hamilton. (2010) Eat Your Worms: The Upside of Parasites. Ferris Jabr. (2010) For the good of the gut: can parasitic worms treat autoimmune diseases? D.E. Elliott and J.V. Weinstock. (2012) Where are we on worms? Curr Opin Gastroenterol 28:551-556. Stefanie Vogt is a PhD student studying microbiology at the University of Alberta and an alumna of the 2012 Banff Science Communications Program. She has shared her love of science with thousands of kids by organizing science competitions, science activities in rural Alberta, and a science-themed Harry Potter Day. Follow her on Twitter: @StefanieVogt.
