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We now know how parasitic worms help ward off obesity and diabetes

We have long known that parasitic worm infections are associated with lower rates of several conditions. Now, research in mice reveals how the worms elicit these protections

12 May 2023

A pair of the parasitic water-borne worms Schistosoma mansoni — Parasitic worms such as Schistosoma mansoni (pictured) may provide health benefits to their hosts by affecting the function of certain white blood cells
Scott Camazine/Alamy

Parasitic worms modify immune cells in mice in a way that protects the animals from developing obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Future therapies that mimic these effects in humans could stave off such conditions.

It sounds strange, but researchers have known for decades that parasitic worm infections in humans and other animals are associated with lower rates of , including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. How worms elicit these protections…

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