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Author Topic: "Allergies" or simply a mere cold?  (Read 2711 times)

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Offline X-ray

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Re: "Allergies" or simply a mere cold?
« on: April 17, 2005, 08:23:43 AM »
"Infect yourself with a dose of hookworms and never know allergic reactions again."
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Not a good plan. You run the risk of anaemia and protein deficiency. And the thought of these inside me makes me wanna spew.
 

Offline X-ray

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Re: "Allergies" or simply a mere cold?
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2005, 05:18:16 PM »
@ Karlos

"...Don't be such a drama queen, it all depends on the quality your diet. They might be unsightly litte buggers but they aren't exactly the most dangerous parasites. As it goes, there have been some astonishing links found recently between intestinal parasites like these and allergies..."
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When the therapeutic administration of hookworm (a known parasite with known health risks) is accepted by a medical organisation of some repute, I will give your comments serious consideration. As it is, I challenge you to show me where it has been proven by an established medical research institution that it is safe to administer hookworms to somebody (even if he has a compensated iron intake), never mind establish direct links between the presence of hookworms and the relief of allergies.

Even in cases where the benefit of a known parasite can be demonstrated, the use of such a parasite is always controlled. An example of this is the use of leeches on tissue flaps where the surgical repair of the venous vessels has not been as successful as the arterial repair and there is a venous drainage insufficiency. Even when leeches are used, they are carefully controlled and removed from the patient immediately after the desired amount of blood has been removed. What I would like you to explain to me is exactly how the hookworms are administered to the patient and how their numbers and activities are controlled, or even monitored. I've tried to Google it, but I haven't found any information on this, most sites are about how to get RID of hookworm, not how to encourage infestation.
The use of leeches for medicinal purposes has been approved, and like a good lad I'll give you the kind of link I expect you to show me with regard to the hookworm:

Leeches as approved medical 'devices'

The closest thing I could find about enteral worms is a trial involving the pig whip worm which is nothing like a hookworm. This trial was conducted at the University of Iowa. Note that even these whip worms have not been accepted (as yet) as safe medical devices and they have been chosen specifically because they can't reproduce and do not survive long in the alimentary tract.
I'm not against parasites and worms per se (I think the use of maggots to clean necrotic wounds has merit) but I don't think it is wise for somebody to advocate the use of a parasite such as a hookworm when there are no medical guidelines on the safe administration of hookworms, and no clearly-proven benefit in the literature.


 

Offline X-ray

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Re: "Allergies" or simply a mere cold?
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2005, 11:25:38 AM »
@ Karlos

Your first link is to do with the findings of paediatric asthma suppression in the presence of parasitic worm infestation. They concentrate mainly on the large arcaris roundworm. They haven't reached a conclusion about hookworm:

"..Similar, although nonsignificant, associations were found for hookworm (adjusted odds ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.2 to 1.8), but there was no suggestion of any relation to Trichuris infection.."

and

"..We conclude that Ascaris and possibly hookworm infection protects against wheeze in young Ethiopian children.."

Okay, you can scratch that link because it doesn't help your case. It neither defines nor promotes the effect of hookworm on an asthma sufferer. In addition to that, take note of their findings as regards the Trichuris infection (my good mate the pig whip worm, which I gave you a link about earlier). It has no effect here on asthma but the researchers at Iowa University have data that supports its effect in suppressing IBS. This to me indicates a parasite may be good for one immunological disorder but not for another. Secondly these are observations in Ethiopian children who already have the infection, unlike the research done in Iowa. Observing a hookworm effect (one that I am not convinced of, mind you) is a far cry to setting up protocols for the deliberate infection of an individual with hookworm. It's not only too-big a jump but is likely to earn anyone who tries it (without depending on formal research) a clip around the earhole from the medical community. Thirdly (and most importantly) any research to do with the effects of hookworm infection in children is a dead-end in terms of rolling out hookworm treatment for adults. This is because hookworm infestation in children is a known danger and can result in death, fancy diet or no. You can get that information out of the very first link I posted in my first response.

The next link you gave me, you say 'A PDF article I didn't completely read.' I don't blame you I also don't want to pay $37.50 for the full article, especially when it is about intestinal parasites in general and has no mention  of hookworm in the abstract. Chances are you would spend $37.50 and have nothing to show for it. Scratch that link then.

Your last link is the Blackwell Synergy one about parasite immunology. Again I don't know if you only read the abstract (because you have to pay for the full article) but I am unimpressed by the abstract. The body's immune response to the hookworm may be interesting to some, but there are no specific benefits outlined in the abstract. Could it be that this is more about the body's resistance to parasites rather than any perceived benefit of the parasite, in this case the hookworm? That is the feeling I got from the abstract.

Lastly, you and I both know that the number of hits in Google is not a statistical tool. If it was, it would be in my favour because when I enter medicinal leeches I get 20,200 hits. By comparison a mere 544 would seem insignificant. (I could argue that they ARE insignificant if they are of the same quality as the links you have already provided)
 Edit: I would be well-entitled to say 'I guess you didn't google too hard' ;-)

Let me conclude with this: since we don't know what allergies our fellow Amigans suffer from, and since there is no medical documentation to support the safe administration of hookworms to allergy sufferers, and also no proof that said administration will alleviate the symptoms, it is not wise to advocate that these people infect themselves with hookworms.