Last night while driving home I heard Act II of This American Life episode 404 about a guy with terrible allergies and asthma who learned that those diseases basically don't exist in the developing world. The reason for this, he learned, is a parasite, specifically hookworm. According to the program, having a hookworm calms your immune system response so you don't develop that condition where your immune system is trying to kill you. (my exaggerated non-scientific language, but still, you get the point)
So this guy goes to Africa and walks around barefoot in yucky places to intentionally infect himself with hookworm. He returns to Santa Cruz and the next time allergy season comes around he has no issues. His eyes don't swell shut. He is not sent to the hospital because of severe asthma attacks. He is cured. He drives down the highway with his windows rolled down shouting for joy.
Fascinating stuff.
Hmmmm hookworm...
5 comments:
Yikes! I think I would rather take an allergy pill everyday.
I'm wondering if I can buy a Hookworm in pill form. ;)
Wonder if I can find it on Amazon...
Yuck, yuck, YUCK! That just creeps me out. You let me know how that works for you. Meanwhile, I'll be here behind all the cough drops and Sudafed.
I’m preparing a research project in order to isolate the chemical or protein (don’t know which yet…but if anybody could get me some information on this…then thanks!!) However, I am having troubles obtaining hookworms!…I have reasearched that other nematodes can be a model for hookworms….Also, my idea was to find a model of hookworm that infects insects…Because I am not allowed to use vertebrates in my laboratory, I was trying to find a hookworm or nematode that infects insect. By infecting the insect, I can crush up the insects after infection and research what additional chemical or protein is present by comparing it to crushed up control (an insect without infection and just a plain worm/nematode)…..However, the only kind of hookworm that infects insects I have found so far is the nematode that infects fig wasps….I have no idea where I could possibly get these nematodes and fig wasps. If anyone has any suggestions or helpful pointers…then thanks!!!!!!The protein or chemical I am talking about is the one that somehow “lullabies” the immun system….So if I isolate the chemical or protein through a column chromatography or HPLC….then maybe people won’t have to infect themselves with hookworms, but just inject the protein/chemical….There’s still a lot things to research though!!
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