Hygiene has always focused on eliminating worms and parasites from the human living environment. But for almost a decade, some unusual scientific findings are leading to the conclusion that some parasitic worms are the key to preventing and/treating asthma and some other health problems prevailing over large parts of modern human populations.

The first famous study on parasitic worms and asthma was conducted by Sarah Scrivener and her team, from the University of Nottingham, published in late 2001. Scrivener’s study found that the inhabitants of Ethiopia’s rural areas, while suffering from dust-mite allergy, had notably lower incidence of developing asthma than those in urban parts of the country. They linked the finding to the abundance of hookworms in the rural areas as against the cleaner urban habitats. The research suggested that the presence of hookworms in the intestines somehow suppressed the autoimmune response of the human host that results in asthma and other allergic symptoms.

In November 2005, a team of scientists at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Biological Sciences published their research on the role of helminthes (intestinal worms) in developing treatments for asthma, diabetes, and hay fever. The researchers found that the presence of helminthes ‘switches off’ the aggressive autoimmune response, possibly by producing special molecules that tone down the immune system. This prevents or reduces the intensity of asthma. Similar results were obtained in another research study led by David Pritchard, of the University of Nottingham, in 2007. The research team found that not only does parasitic worms lower the risk of asthma in their host but also prevent other conditions like Crohn’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

A number of other studies, most of them carried out in the United Kingdom, have arrived at similar conclusions. Among these, the famous ones came from Graham Rook, Anne Cook, and Jan Bradley – all researching the link between helminthes and low risk of immune-related diseases as well as Type 1 Diabetes. Professor Bradley’s research found a connection between increased production of white cells (useful in fighting infections) and intestinal worms. Scientists working on this topic are now of the general view that humans, through thousands of years of evolution, have developed immune systems that respond to the presence of worms and this response can be used to develop therapies and/or medicine that will treat asthma and other health problems. In effect, it appears that living with worms is not outright dirty but also healthy.

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