Could worms halt dementia?

PARASITIC worms could be a new weapon in the fight against inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, dementia and arthritis. Hookworms were once a common problem in the UK when drinking water was unclean, but were mostly eradicated in the 1900s. Now British researchers believe that worm proteins can reduce inflammatory responses in the body and so cut the risk of disease.

The study is based on research in India, where hookworm infections are rife, showing that those who have had worms are less likely to suffer inflammatory conditions than those who have never had them.