Parasitology

HOOKWORMS

Kayse abtidoon
 HOOKWORMS
Common name
Necator americanus (new world hookworm)
Ancylostoma duodenale (old world hookworm)
Disease – hookworm infection.
Geographical distribution
N. americanus is more common in the far east ,south asia,pacific islands,tropical
Africa,central and S.America.
A.duodenale dorminates in the middle east ,N.African coast,Europe,North china
and Japan.

Habitat - Adults N.americanus lives in the duodenum and jejunum while adult
A.duodenale lives in the caecum and jejunum.
Transmission
 skin penetration by filariform larvae in contaminated soil.
 It is also rarely transmitted by ingesting infective larvae (A.duodenale)
 LIFE CYCLE:
Man become infected through skin penetration by filariform
larvae when he comes into contact with contaminated soil.
Also ingestion of larvae(A. duodenale)
The larvae enter the circulation and are carried to the right
heart from where they are taken to the lungs.
In the lung alveoli, they emerge through the trachea and
eventually reach the pharynx where they are coughed and
swallowed into the small intestines.
Here, the filariform larvae matures and attach onto the
intestinal mucosa.They mate and female lay eggs which are
passed out In stool.
In soil,the eggs hatch into rhabditiform larvae within 1-2
days,feed in soil and then develop into infective filariform
larvae in about one week.
 LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
The laboratory diagnosis of hookworm infection is by finding
hookworm eggs in faeces.
 CLINICAL FEATURES AND PATHOLOGY:
Skin reaction at the site of larval penetration(Ground itch)
and is more intense in those previously infected.
During migration of the larvae ,mild respiratory symptoms
may develop and also eosinophilia.
Adults hookworms causes chronic blood loss. A single
A.duodenale can suck 0.15 mls of blood per day and N.
americanus worm about 0.03 mls per day.The test for Occult
blood in faeces is positive.
Iron deficiency anaemia.
Loss of protein which can lead to oedema.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL:
i. Preventing soil contamination by use of latrines and health education.
ii. Preventing infective larvae penetrating the feet by wearing protective
footware, Open sandals are not effective barriers to infection.