Pinworm Infection Does Not Protect Against IBD

Animal studies have shown that helminth infection can suppress some immune-mediated diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Now, researchers have conducted a large, population-based cohort study to examine whether infection with one such parasite — the pinworm — might protect against IBD in humans.

The cohort included all children born in Denmark from 1995 through 2008. Prescriptions for mebendazole were used as a proxy for pinworm infection. Data on prescriptions and on diagnoses were obtained from national registries.

During the study period, 132,383 children (14% of the cohort) had a prescription filled for mebendazole; 689,884 children with no such prescription formed the reference group. The incidence of asthma was slightly…