Iatrogenic Trichuris suis infection in a patient with Crohn disease

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2006 May;130(5):718-20. doi: 10.5858/2006-130-718-ITSIIA.

Abstract

We report a case of biopsy-proven iatrogenic infection by the pig whipworm Trichuris suis in a patient with Crohn disease. The deliberate therapeutic ingestion of T suis ova has been adopted as an experimental approach to the treatment of Crohn disease in an effort to promote a switch from the T helper subtype 1 to T helper subtype 2 inflammatory phenotype in vivo. This report examines the morphology of the immature and adult T suis, the effects of this intervention on the immunophenotype of the bowel mucosa, and it also raises the possibility of persistent active infection in man.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • Colitis / parasitology
  • Colitis / pathology
  • Colonoscopy
  • Crohn Disease / immunology
  • Crohn Disease / parasitology*
  • Crohn Disease / therapy*
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Humans
  • Iatrogenic Disease
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Male
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / chemistry
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology
  • Trichuriasis / parasitology*
  • Trichuriasis / pathology
  • Trichuris / physiology*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD