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A team of Australian immunology and infectious disease researchers are calling for urgent investigation of the impact of intestinal worms on the immune system’s ability to cope with COVID-19.

In a new commentary published online in the Nature Reviews Immunology journal, the team of researchers from Federation University Australia and the Doherty Institute have raised concerns that countries in resource-poor tropical areas could be even harder hit by the deadly virus due to the large numbers of people with intestinal worms.

Led by clinical microbiology and molecular biology expert, Dr Richard Bradbury, the researchers believe infection with helminths (worms) may affect the severity of COVID-19.

The helminth worm is a parasite that has an immunomodulatory effect on its host, which means that infection can change the way the immune system reacts to other pathogens.

In the case of COVID-19, it is unknown whether infection with the parasite strengthens or weakens the immune response.

Limited research on mice into the effects of infection with both helminths and a respiratory virus has revealed a change in immune system’s response to the virus.

The potential impact of the parasite to worsen symptoms of COVID-19 is particularly concerning in resource-poor nations in Africa, Latin America and the Pacific where infection with the worm is more common than in developed countries.

If a study reveals that infection with the parasite worsens the symptoms of COVID-19, this could lead to consideration of a simple deworming treatment to help moderate the immune response.

The research would also have implications on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations in those infected with the helminth worm.

The article is available at: nature.com/articles/s41577-020-0330-5.

Quotes attributable to Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Biology Senior Lecturer, Dr Richard Bradbury

“We are concerned that infection with parasitic worms might worsen the effects of COVID-19 as these worms change the way that the immune system responds to other pathogens.”

“It could be a disaster for the public health system in developing countries, as hospitals don’t have the capacity to deal with even a limited rise in the severity of cases compared with what we have seen in Europe and the US.”

“Research needs to be done to determine if the worm alters the immune system to make the response to COVID-19 more or less severe, and whether there is an easy intervention to prevent more serious complications of the disease.”