Whipworm Therapy
An interesting observation is that infection with the pig whipworm may be effective treatment for ulcerative colitis. Scientists believe that the worms that inhabit the colon alter the immune response and thereby reduce the inflammation. In one study, 43% of patients with ulcerative colitis improved after ingesting pig whipworm eggs for 12 weeks. The impetus for investigating treatment with the whipworm came from the observation that ulcerative colitis was not common in developing countries where intestinal parasitic diseases are common.
