Ascaris lumbricoides
Helminthic therapy is currently being studied as a treatment for several (non-viral) autoimmune diseases in humans including celiac disease, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and atherosclerosis. It is currently unknown which clinical dose or species of helminth is the most effective method of treatment. Hookworms have been linked to reduced risk of developing asthma, while "Ascaris lumbricoides" (roundworm infection) was associated with an "increased" risk of asthma. Similarly, "Hymenolepis nana", "Trichuris trichiura", "Ascaris lumbricoides", "Strongyloides stercoralis", "Enterobius vermicularis", and "Trichuris suis" ova have all been found to lower the number of symptom exacerbations, reduce the number of symptom relapses, and decrease the number of new or enlarging brain lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis at doses ranging from 1,180 to 9,340 eggs per gram. However, "Ascaris lumbricoides", "Strongyloides stercoralis" and "Enterobius vermicularis" are not considered suitable for therapeutic use in humans because they do not meet the criteria for a therapeutic helminth.