The study investigates the effect of helminths on the microbial community (eukaryotic and prokaryotic) in the gut of rats.. Rat Gut Ribosomal Sequences

Helminths and bacteria are major players in the mammalian gut ecosystem. Historically, both were abundant and each influences the host immune system and health. Declines in helminth prevalence and bacterial diversity appear to play a role in the dramatic rise of immune mediated diseases in western populations. Reintroducing helminths is a promising therapeutic avenue for the treatment of immune mediated diseases because they modulate the immune system, but many questions remain about the safety of this approach. The impact of helminth introduction on the gut ecosystem, and the bacterial microbiota in particular, remains unclear because initial studieshave reached different conclusions.