Stomach worms could battle bowel disease

[<bleeding_heart>]

LONDON?It may sound revolting, but scientists say drinking a concoction containing thousands of pig whipworm eggs could protect people against bowel disease.

Early trials of the drink called TSO, developed by German company BioCure, suggest it can dramatically reduce the abdominal pain, bleeding and diarrhea associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

"A lot of researchers couldn't believe this treatment was effective, but people are always skeptical when confronted with new ideas," Joel Weinstock, a University of Iowa gastroenterologist who developed the treatment, told New Scientist magazine.

BioCure hopes to have TSO approved by regulators and on the market in Europe by May.

Some scientists have long believed that the eradication of worms from human stomachs over the past 50 years may be behind the rise in IBD, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Weinstock came up with the TSO idea after noticing that a rise in IBD cases coincided with a drop in infections caused by roundworms and human whipworms.

IBD is rare in developing countries where parasitic infections are more common.

When TSO was tested twice a month on 100 IBD patients, symptoms such as abdominal pain, bleeding and diarrhea, disappeared.

Fifty per cent of patients with ulcerative colitis and 70 per cent of Crohn's sufferers went into remission.

"With these new impressive results, we can come out of the closet," Weinstock said.

REUTERS, BBC

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[babyforrest]

I think I'll risk the bowel disease, thanks! Bran is not so bad!

[Thistle]

Yeah I know it sounds completely disgusting

BUT........one of my relations has just been diagnosed with Crohns disease.....he is 6 years old !!!!!!!. At the moment he is spending 6 weeks in hospital being fed through a tube in his nose because his entire digestive tract is ulcerated. When he gets out he faces not hitting puberty until he is in his late teens and most likely a colostomy by his early 20's.

I think ANY measure that may give the little guy even the slightest chance of a more normal life has got to be worth looking into.

Thanks BH ....... I'm gonna pass this on to his mother