Intestinal Parasites and Immunomodulation in Neuroinflammatory Disease

Abstract

Some intestinal parasites are major human pathogens, and deworming is rightly advocated to prevent helminth-induced morbidity. Actual understanding of the immunoregulatory responses induced by helminths, in combination with epidemiological and animal studies, suggests however that intestinal worms may have therapeutic potential in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The epidemiology of MS shows an inverse correlation with helminth infections. Positive effects of helminths in animal models of MS and observational studies in people with MS naturally infected with helminths suggest that those organisms can act as immune regulators and led to clinical trials of helminth therapy. This chapter reviews the animal studies, the rationale for and the safety and efficacy results of clinical trials of helminth therapy in MS. Studies on helminth treatments in MS may provide information that could lead to advances in our understanding of MS pathogenesis.