Therapeutic Administration of Trichuris Suis Ova as Alternative Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Autoimmune disorders like Multiple Sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease occur when your body’s mounts a response to itself. Genetic predisposition is responsible for some of the response, while environmental factors contribute as well. Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating disease that impacts the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. There is an inverse correlation of exposure to helminths with prevalence of MS in helminth-endemic countries. This may be due to the alteration with the immunological response to antigens that accompanies the exposure to helminths. With the different molecules secreted by helminths that enhance tolerance in the human immune system to survive, interest in these secretory molecules for developing novel treatments against autoimmune diseases grew. There has been focus on Trichuris Suis Ova (TSO), eggs of a porcine helminth, as biologic for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The results for TSO-based therapies as treatment for MS have been promising, in addition to these therapies being safe and well tolerated. However, there have been some contrasting reports with clinical outcomes. Therapeutic administration of T. suis ova or other products of this helminth as alternative treatment of multiple sclerosis should be further studied and thus provide enhancements in these immunotherapies.