A Melbourne-led global study has mapped the genes of a parasitic worm in pigs, which could help scientists better understand autoimmune diseases in humans.
While the pig whipworm causes autoimmune disease in livestock, humans infected by the parasite show significantly reduced symptoms.
Co-author Professor Robin Gasser said the genes sequenced in the project tell scientists about the proteins that this worm uses to interact with the human immune system.
Read more at University of Melbourne, Deakin University