

The results at the end of the trial showed that the total number of new MRI lesions did not differ significantly between patients receiving hookworm and those receiving placebo. Over the course of nine months, all the patients were scanned on a regular basis for new or worsening lesions which can be a tell-tale sign of relapse. Half of the patients on the trial, received a low dose of the hookworms - 25 of the microscopic larvae - on a plaster applied to the arm, while the other half received a placebo plaster.Īt the beginning of the trial, the participants underwent an MRI scan to record the scarring or lesions on the brain which are present in MS patients. Symptoms in patients such as vision problems, dizziness and fatigue, appear and then fade away either partially or completely, and secondary progressive MS with superimposed relapses. The study aimed to show that the presence of hookworms in the body switches off the mechanism by which the body's immune system becomes overactive - the main cause of MS - reducing both the severity of symptoms and the number of relapses experienced by the patients.ħ1 patients were recruited for a controlled clinical trial who suffer from the most common type of the disease, relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). Whilst treatments are available, there is currently no cure. MS is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. The study was funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The research was led by Cris Constantinescu, Professor of Neurology in the University's School of Clinical Sciences and a leading MS expert, and David Idris Pritchard, Professor of Parasite Immunology in the University's School of Pharmacy, who has spent decades studying the biology of the hookworm. This is especially important when you might come in contact with animal feces from pets whose health conditions are unknown, such as at a park.The findings of the research, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, show that infecting MS patients with a safe dose of the hookworm parasite Necator americanus induces immunoregulatory responses and boosts the number of cells which help keep the immune system under control. Also, avoid walking barefoot in areas where pets leave feces. To reduce your risk, make sure your pets are vaccinated and dewormed by your veterinarian. You can also get it by accidentally eating contaminated soil. You can get a hookworm infection by touching contaminated dirt with your bare hands or feet.
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The eggs and larvae are found in the dirt where your pet leaves stool. The eggs are passed in your pet’s stool and hatch into larvae. You won’t get it from petting your dog or cat.

If your pet has an infection, you can get it indirectly. Hookworm infections can occur in pets, especially puppies and kittens. People who live in warm climates in areas with poor hygiene and sanitation are more at risk of developing hookworm infections. Fully grown, they can live in your small intestine for a year or more before passing through your feces. They are carried to your small intestine when you cough them out of the lung and swallow. The larvae enter your skin, travel through your bloodstream, and enter your lungs. You can become infected with hookworms by coming into contact with soil that contains their larvae. They hatch into larvae, which stay in the soil until they have a chance to break through human skin. The eggs of these hookworms end up on the ground after passing through human feces. The two major types of hookworms that cause infection are Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Parasitic hookworms cause these infections.
