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 many diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. How worms elicit these protections…
