Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Exposure to hookworms in patients with Crohn's disease: a case-control study
J Kabeerdoss1, S Pugazhendhi, V Subramanian
1Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.
Background:
Helminths have been used to inhibit intestinal inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease.
Aim:
This study was undertaken to determine if there is a protective association of prior hookworm infection with Crohn's disease, in a region where there is epidemiological transition from parasitic and infectious diseases to increased auto-inflammatory diseases.
Methods:
Hookworm exposure was assessed by peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) activation by hookworm antigens in 78 patients with Crohn's disease and 75 healthy control participants. The change in proportion of T cells exhibiting CD69 after exposure to crude hookworm antigens was measured. Interferon-γ ELISPOT response to a panel of six recombinant hookworm antigens was analysed.
Results:
Patients with Crohn's disease were more often from an urban background (P=0.005) compared to controls, while their socioeconomic status was not significantly different. T cell activation (increase in CD3(+) CD69(+) population) by hookworm antigen was significantly higher in controls compared to Crohn's disease patients (P=0.017), while activation by the nonspecific mitogen phytohemagglutinin was similar in both groups. Circulating T memory cells (CD3(+) CD45RO(+)) after exposure to hookworm antigens were not significantly different between the two groups. Mirroring these changes, interferon-γ ELISPOT responses to hookworm antigens were seen in 36 of 75 controls compared to 20 of 78 Crohn's disease patients (Fisher's exact P=0.005). Multivariate analysis indicated that CD3CD69 shifts (P=0.019), ELISPOT reactivity (P=0.039) and place of residence (P=0.024) were all independently associated with Crohn's disease.
Conclusion:
The inverse association between Crohn's disease and hookworm antigen reactivity is consistent with the hygiene hypothesis, but requires further exploration.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
01:28Amebiasis
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:26Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Introduction
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...