Ancylostoma duodenale

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Nematoda
Class: Secernentea
Order: Strongylida
Family: Ancylostomatidae
Genus: Ancylostoma
Species: A. duodenale
Habit and habitat
- Ancylostoma , the common hookworm of man,
was first discovered in 1838 by an italian
physician angelo dubini
- The pathogenesis and mode of entrance of the
larvae into man was worked out by Looss in 1898
- Endoparasites and lives in the intestine of man
particularly in the jejunum, less often in the
duodenum and rarely in the ileum
- Widely distributed in all tropical and sub-tropical
countries, occurring in all places wherever
humidity and temperature are favorable to
development of larvae in the soil
Structure
Shape, size and colour
- Adults are small and cylindrical in shape
- Sexes separate; male about 8 mm length and
0.4 mm width; female 12.5 mm length and 0.6
mm width
- Reddish brown color
External and internal structure
- The anterior end of the both sexes slightly
bent dorsally and has large buckle capsule
- Buckle capsule is lined with a hard substance
and is provided with 6 cutting plates or teeth
- 4 hook like on the ventral surface and 2 knob like
or sharp lancets on the dorsal surface
- This buccal capsule helps in attachment with the
intestinal wall of the host
- The female worm tapers bluntly in a short post-
anal tail
- Male is expanded umbrella like tail
- This expanded structure called copulatory bursa
which surrounds the cloaca
- The body of ancylostoma is covered externally by
cuticle, it is followed by internal epidermis and
musculature which is directed longitudinally
- Body cavity is pseudocoel
Reproductive organs
- Sexes separate and dimorphism is well distinct
- The male reproductive organs comprise a single ,
tubular, thread like testis, twisted around the
intestine in the middle of the body
- The testis continues posterior in a vas deferens
which opens into a elongated , swollen, sac-like
seminal vesicle
- The seminal vesicle soon tapers to form a
narrow passage called ejaculatory duct which
opens into the cloaca
- Female reproductive organs comprise two,
much highly twisted tubules, the ovaries
- One ovarian tubule is placed anteriorly and
other posteriorly
- Both the ovarian tubules are continue to the
oviducts,
- And the oviducts elongate open into dilated
seminal receptacles and each continues into
muscular uterus
- Finally this opens into gonopore
Life history
- Monogenetic
- No intermediate host, man is the only host
Copulation and fertilization
- Copulation is occurs in the intestine of the host
- During the process the copulatory bursa of male
is applied on the vulva of female and sperms are
transferred
- The sperms , thus transferred come to lie in the
semenial receptacle where fertilization takes
places
- The fertilized eggs pushed into the uteri for laying
through vagina and gonopore
Egg laying
- The female worms lays eggs are in the intestine
of host which passes out with faeces
- An average per day 9,000 eggs are laid by female
Eggs
- The eggs are oval or elliptical in shape measuring
up to 65 micro meter
- Colorless protected by transparent hyaline shell
membrane
- Eggs comes out the host body possesses an
embryo up to 4-celled or 8 celled stage
- Then passed out with the faeces, are not infective
to man
Development in soil
- Under favorable condition of environment like
moisture, oxygen and temperature (68-85 F)
the embryo develops into a rhabditiform
larvae or first stage juvenile
- This larvae possess the mouth, buccal capsule,
elongated pharynx, bulb-like oesophagous and
intestine
- It feeds on bacteria and other debris of the
soil and moults twice, develop into a filiform
larvae
- Infective stage of parasite
Infection to the new host
- The filiform larvae are infective to the man
- The larvae cast off their sheaths and penetrate the
skin of human host
- The anterior end of larva is provided with oral
spears by which it penetrate the soft skin of the
feet and hands, generally through hair follicles
Migration and development
- On reaching the subcutaneous tissues the larva
enter into the lymphatics and small venules
- Then they pass through the lymphatic vascular
system into venous circulation and are carried
through pulmonary capallieries and reaches to
alveolar spaces
- During its migration , when it reaches to
oesophagus, its moulting occurs and a
terminal buccal capsule is formed
- Migration is about 10 days
- Life span 3-4 years
Diagnosis and disease
- Ancylostomiasis
Pathogenicity
- Most dangerous because hold on the
intestinal villi and suck blood and body fluid
- Also cut the intestinal mucosa and leave
bleeding wound
- Severe anaemia
- Food fermentation
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Dyspnea
Treatment
- Drugs like carbon tetrachloride, thymol, oil of
chenopodium, hexylresorcinol etc.,
- Anti-helminth drugs like tetrachloroethylene
and blephenium
Prevention
- Improving the sanitory
- Avoid the contamination of faeces with soil
and other edible
- Children should be directed to keep their
hands and nails clean