Could parasites be playing a role in one of the most puzzling autoimmune diseases of our time? Recent findings suggest they just might.
A growing body of research is uncovering an alarming yet fascinating connection between parasites and multiple sclerosis (MS). In a striking series of autopsies spanning three decades, parasitologist Dr. Alan MacDonald reported the discovery of coenurus parasites — a type of tapeworm larva — embedded in the spinal cords and brains of 10 MS patients. These findings, presented at scientific conferences and discussed in independent medical publications, suggest that chronic parasitic infections could be contributing to the demyelination process central to MS progression.
While peer-reviewed research is still catching up to these findings, their implications are profound: What if MS, long thought to be purely autoimmune, has an infectious or parasitic component?
Ivermectin: A Familiar Drug, A New Role?
The possibility of parasitic involvement in MS opens the door to unexpected treatment pathways — and ivermectin, a well-known antiparasitic medication, has entered the spotlight.
Traditionally used to treat river blindness and other parasitic diseases, ivermectin has recently been studied for its effects on the central nervous system and immune regulation in animal models of MS. In a 2023 study using mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the most common MS model, ivermectin administration produced striking benefits:
• Suppressed the harmful immune cells that attack the nervous system (Th1 and Th17 cells)
• Boosted regulatory T cells (Tregs), which help prevent autoimmune attacks
• Reduced inflammatory cytokines like IFN-γ and IL-17A, while increasing IL-2
• Improved neurological function and reduced disease severity
Even more intriguing, ivermectin appears to stimulate remyelination — the rebuilding of the protective myelin sheath that is damaged in MS. This is thought to occur via activation of the P2X4 receptor on microglial cells, which in turn supports the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a critical element in neuron repair and survival.
A Natural Path Forward?
While ivermectin is not yet approved for MS treatment, these preclinical studies open the door to new conversations about the root causes of MS and the potential for repurposing existing therapies.
The emerging evidence calls into question whether we’ve been looking in the wrong direction for decades. Could an undiagnosed parasitic infection be silently triggering immune dysregulation in a subset of MS patients? If so, could addressing that root cause offer relief?
More research is urgently needed. But for now, the presence of parasites in the spinal columns of MS patients and the promise of a decades-old anti-parasitic drug like ivermectin suggest one thing:
The MS puzzle may have far more biological pieces than we previously thought.
