-transparent.png){kind=logo}
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies suggest that hookworm infection protects against asthma, and therefore that hookworm infection may have a direct or an indirect therapeutic potential in this disease. We now report the first clinical trial of experimental hookworm infection in people with allergic asthma. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of experimental hookworm infection in asthma. METHODS Thirty-two individuals with asthma and measurable airway responsiveness to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were randomized and double blinded to cutaneous administration of either ten Necator americanus larvae, or histamine solution (placebo), and followed for 16 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in provocation dose of inhaled AMP required to reduce forced expiratory volume in 1 s by 20% (PD(20)AMP) from baseline to week 16. Secondary outcomes included change in several measures of asthma control and allergen skin sensitivity and the occurrence of adverse effects. RESULTS Mean PD(20)AMP improved in both groups, more in the hookworm [1.49 doubling doses (DD)] than the placebo group (0.98 DD), but the difference between groups was not significant (0.51 DD; 95% confidence interval: -1.79 to 2.80; P=0.65). There were no significant differences between the two groups for other measures of asthma control or allergen skin sensitization. Infection was generally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS Experimental infection with ten hookworm larvae in asthma did not result in significant improvement in bronchial responsiveness or other measures of asthma control in this study. However, infection was well tolerated and resulted in a non-significant improvement in airway responsiveness, indicating that further studies that mimic more closely natural infection are feasible and should be undertaken.
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
December 2020,
Clinical and translational gastroenterology,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
September 2020,
JAMA neurology,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
January 2004,
Annals of Saudi medicine,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
July 2022,
The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
March 2011,
PloS one,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
May 2008,
Vaccine,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
February 1996,
Annals of emergency medicine,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
February 2004,
American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
June 2018,
Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P,
J R Feary, and
A J Venn, and
K Mortimer, and
A P Brown, and
D Hooi, and
F H Falcone, and
D I Pritchard, and
J R Britton
January 2019,
Advanced journal of emergency medicine,
