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Hookworm
Medical Questions » Hookworm
Name: Hookworm |
Also known as: Ancylostomiasis |
Infestation of the gut by the nematode worm Ancylostoma duodenale. One quarter of the population of the world affected. |
Causes of Hookworm The adult hookworm is 1 cm long and lives in the gut. Eggs pass out in the faeces, and if the faeces fall onto moist ground, the larvae will hatch from the eggs. The larvae remain active in the moist soil for up to a week, and during that time, a larva may penetrate the skin of the foot of any person who treads on it. The larva then migrates through the bloodstream to the lung, where it breaks into the air-carrying passageways of the lung. From there it is carried with sputum up into the throat, where it is swallowed, enters the gut, develops into an adult worm and starts the process all over again. May be caught in all the tropical countries of the world. |
Symptoms of Hookworm An itch at the site of skin penetration, a cough, wheeze and fever while the larvae are in the lung, and mild abdominal discomfort and diarrhea when there are a large number of worms in the gut. |
Tests for Hookworm Examination of a sample of faeces under a microscope reveals the worm or its eggs. |
Treatment for Hookworm Drugs are available to destroy the worms.
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Complications of Hookworm of its treatment Only in patients who are otherwise ill or malnourished does a hookworm infestation cause significant problems. |
Likely Outcome of Hookworm Usually cured by appropriate treatment. |
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