Where can I obtain pig whipworm eggs, (Trichuras suis), for study? 
Ideally they would be viable, and free of other pathogens or infectious agents.

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Request for Question Clarification by tehuti-ga on 29 Oct 2002 13:30 PST

Is this connected with the use of these eggs in the treatment of
ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases?  If so, the
web site of the Iowa researchers who discovered this lists clinics
participating in a current trial.  "Persons with Crohn's Disease or
ulcerative colitis seeking information about the University of Iowa
Helminth trials may contact participating clinics"
http://www.int-med.uiowa.edu/News/Worms07-02.htm

If you are researcher in this area, it will probably be useful for you
to contact  Dr. Joel V. Weinstock, Dr. Robert W. Summers, or Dr. David
E. Elliott at Iowa, who are responsible for the research.

If you are satisfied with this reply, I can place it in the answer
field so as to close the question.  I do not think there is a supplier
of these eggs as such whom you could contact.

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Clarification of Question by wiredgirl-ga on 30 Oct 2002 13:35 PST

Yes, this is in relation to the Crohn's study, and I have contacted
the
researchers in question. However, they are unable to help me in this
matter since I am not a researcher myself nor do I have Crohn's.

I'm looking for a supplier of this particular parasite for an informal
experiment. I am unaware of any suppliers of viable, non-pathogenic
parasites.

Buy them from a biological supply house.

Carolina Biological Supply?

Just sitting here pondering your question. My expertise is of general
veterinary nature (not research), but I think the following procedures
would supply a person with "clean" parasite ova:

1) Find infected pigs.
2) Concentrate whipworm ova by suspending feces in a Sheather's
(sugar) solution, with an added bactericidal antibiotic. Might be able
to add some formalin, but i'm not sure what concentration would be
appropriate to kill bacteria but NOT kill parasite ova. Also might be
able to add an anitseptic such as povidone iodine or chlorhexidine.
3) Centrifuge suspension. Collect solution at the the top of the
column (which will contain the ova).
4) Resuspend the collected solution and ova in another
Sheather's/antibiotic solution and repeat. This would be a rinse step
to "clean" the ova of potentially pathogenic bacteria.
5) Continue to collect the supernatant and rinse (as in step 4) until
satisfied with "sterility". Plating/incubating the supernatant would
help assure a "sterile" collection of ova.

I created this protocol "in my head" having never performed it, but
I'll bet you that a close variation of this technique is what is used
to collect such ova in a research setting.