Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Worms, Your Unlikely Allies

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2011/09/worms-your-unlikely-allies/

Although hookworms, shown here in the intestines, didn’t lessen the symptoms of people with asthma in a recent study, scientists are finding that other parasitic worms can help people with immune disorders. Credit: CDC

16 comments:

Cooper said...

Wow! My cat gets worms a lot, but I never knew they would be helpful!

Emory said...

This is a very funny article (in a scientific way). The reason why it is so funny is because when you think of worms in your body, you think of unhealthy. They might be unhealthy, but they help your immune system. Now when I think of worms, I should think twice about calling them disgusting.

Caroline said...

it might be true that worms can help you, but they can have other affects too. In my opinion it is too much of a risk to purposely give yourself worms. Things like this have happened in history before, and sometimes it didn't turn out well. I wouldn't purposely give myself worms. Yes, it is good to acknowledge that if you get worms without knowing, they could help you. Although the study tested well, I don't agree with it because you could get sick from them. If they could come up with a solution this problem it would be more considerable.

Cypress said...

This is really cool! I think that it is cool that parasites (or worms) can help build up your immune system, so you are more immune to diseases. I never would have thought that parasites would be good for you. I think it is interesting that they target inflammation. I wonder why. I also thought it was neat that Ethiopian kids with parasitic worms were half as likely to wheeze as were kids without the worms.

Sergio said...

I had no idea but you guys do know that last time they used leeches to heal people, they sucked way to high an amount of blood. This might also have that big a risk though the study might work with people with copper poisoning.

Emma said...

This is a very interesting article. It's kind of ironic that that doctors can give patients something unhealthy to make them healthier. I've always thought of worms simply as disgusting and unhealthy if they get in you, but I guess that's not all they do.

Caroline said...

I'm glad there are upsides to some parasites, because some people get them without knowing, for a long time. Because there are some downsides, they would have to find a way to get rid of those downsides as I said before. Maybe they could find a way, because it sounds like they do some good things for your body. They did have some good research and facts though.

Ben said...

Very interesting. This can maybe used as a cure for these diseases if we study the worms more closely.

sergio said...

It says that They're already used to heal people and were already studied closely but great idea anyways.

Nicholas Song said...

To me, it would be risky to put parasites in your body. There are not enough positive tests in my opinion that it would work. Until there are more positive tests, I don't think people would do it.

Kevin said...

My first reaction to worms-EW!!! But now after reading this article, I think that worms might not be so bad. However, I agree with most of you in thinking that more studies should go into this until we can use this constantly. However, with the speed of technology these days, it could be within the next year! The way this benefits both the worms and the humans, it reminds me of how birds live in a crocodile's mouth- the birds get food, and the crocodile gets his mouth cleaned!

Kevin said...

As are many things, you must take two components into consideration-risk and reward. How risky it would be to do further research, and the rewards it would give you if they were successful.

Colin said...

This article is very interesting! I never knew hat worms could help you when they were in your body. I always thought having worms in you body would be unhealthy, but now I know that they help your immune system.

Robert said...

I believe that worms can help your immune system but they are still disgusting and a bit unhealthy, and especially like tapeworms that may horribly injure or kill you

Sofia said...

Cool!!! I never know that worms are so helpful! I always thought them as disgusting, long, slimy things. I know that worms help the plants, but I never thought that worms could help us so much.

Rehaan said...

It seems like everyone here wants to eat worms to make their immune system better. I personally would like to wait until they find out which chemicals it releases and then have the drug. The only part I think that is important in this article is that worms aren't that harmful. I still think them as disgusting.