The exact origin of the disease is unknown. This is an autoimmune disease involving a human protein called Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNFa) causing abnormal immune responses. Potent origin may be from infectious nature (implicating bacteria and possibly measles virus) or immunologic.
Current treatments limit the inflammation and allow controlling symptoms but don’t cure patients. Professor Weinstock and al. (2003) hit upon the idea to seek the organisms that disappeared of our digestive tract since the beginning of the previous century. Among this organisms are found trematodes, little parasitic worms.
After doing tests on mice, researchers tried to re-educate patients’ immune system by contaminating them with microscopic eggs of worms belonging the Schistosoma genus. After a few weeks patients didn’t show any Crohn’s disease symptoms. It’s a big step forward, not only for the struggle against CD but for the understanding of autoimmune diseases in general. The same strategy could be applied against allergies or multiple sclerosis.