Trichocephalosis is an intestinal disease caused by a certain type of roundworm: Trichuris trichiura. It would affect nearly a billion people in the world, especially in developing regions. And if we know a cure, an antiparasitic, albendazole, researchers just published a study which reveals that a diet high in fat could also be a way to get rid of it. Explanations.
Trichocephalosis are not serious, they are involved in a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, anemia, intestinal bleeding, weight loss… But can also be asymptomatic. These parasites are caught by eating products from the earth that carry eggs of these worms, and which have been poorly cleaned. Especially in places where sanitary conditions are not optimal.
The fat-boosted immune system
To establish the role of fat in the fight against Trichuris trichiura, the scientists used mice infected with a worm very similar to that which affects humans. And they observed their immune reaction to this diet. They were particularly interested in a certain type of cell: the T-helper 2, because it had already been demonstrated that when the body was fighting against these worms, these last were mobilized.
By analyzing the mice, they found that fatty foods boosted the production of ST2, and concluded that this helped the body to naturally fight against the invasion of worms. The abundant presence of these cells would allow the body to be better able to get rid of the intruder, and would offer an alternative to treatment, they explain in a press release.
If they are not yet able to affirm that only a fatty diet makes it possible to be cured of trichocephalosis, nor in how long, they found it interesting to note as our way what we feed can affect our immune system.
Source: Mucosal Immunology, Lancaster University
