Why patients are self-infecting with hookworms bought on the internet
The ‘unique little beasts’ could help with treatment, but an unregulated online market is a risk to patients, says an immunologist.
“I know some people who recycle their own stools and sift through the eggs to distribute them.”
Associate Professor Severine Navarro is not talking about chickens or composting.
The immunologist is describing patients using hookworms — specifically Necator americanus — in an attempt to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease, COPD and eczema.
‘Doses’ of juvenile hookworms retail online for between $90 and $300, including shipping, while websites like Helminthic Therapy Wiki provide advice on dosing and worm care.
