The use of helminths (parasitic intestinal worms) for the treatment of various diseases such as Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and even asthma, has been widely explored in the last few years. Apparently, it has also been used in the treatment of autism, with surprising "side-effects" indicating that Trichuris suis Ova (TSO) therapy may also treat tree nut allergies.

Several months into the TSO therapy, my son, for the first time in his life, accidently ate a pecan cookie. Pecans are the nuts that he is most allergic to, both by blood test score and by our experience with him. He had absolutely no reaction of any kind. He has also had no seasonal allergies since he started TSO, something he was always plagued with in previous years. Evidently, the TSO therapy has eliminated my son's allergies, consistent with the accounts of the Crohn's patients.

It is speculated that the effect can be traced back to the Hygiene Hypothesis. Intestinal worms are fairly common in children from developing countries, but have been virtually eradicated in most developed countries. Some researchers believe that the dramatic increase in patients with autoimmune disorders may be correlated with the elimination of helminths (worms) from the human gut.

In the studies with on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the pig whipworm ova were used. Unlike the human whipworm, these porcine equivalents colonize the gut for only a short time, because they have not evolved to live parasitically in humans. Sounds a bit comforting, but I think I'd wait til there is more extensive study on the use of this therapy on treating food allergies before I can accept it.

Image Credit: UIHealthcare
Hat Tip: Allergy Moms