Ancylostomiasis
Encyclopedia
Ancylostomiasis is the condition of infection by Ancylostoma
hookworm
s. The name is derived from Greek ancylos αγκυλος "crooked, bent" and stoma στομα "mouth."
Ancylostomiasis is also known as miner's anaemia, tunnel disease, brickmaker's anaemia and Egyptian chlorosis. Helminthiasis
may also refer to ancylostomiasis, but this term also refers to all other parasitic worm
diseases as well.
Ancylostomiasis is caused when hookworms, present in large numbers, produce an iron deficiency anemia
by sucking blood from the host's intestinal walls.
contaminated soil. In penetrating the skin, the larvae may cause an allergic
reaction. It is from the itchy patch at the site of entry that the early
infection gets its nickname "ground itch". Once larvae have broken through the skin,
they enter the bloodstream and are carried to the lungs (unlike ascarids,
however, hookworms do not usually cause pneumonia). The larvae migrate from
the lungs up the windpipe to be swallowed and carried back down to the
intestine. If humans come into contact with larvae of the dog hookworm or the
cat hookworm, or of certain other hookworms that do not infect humans, the
larvae may penetrate the skin. Sometimes, the larvae are unable to complete their
migratory cycle in humans. Instead, the larvae migrate just below the skin
producing snake-like markings. This is referred to as a creeping eruption or
cutaneous larva migrans.
of the foot and cause a lesion. The larva will then begin to mature while it
moves towards the intestines. As in dogs, the hookworm will attach to the
intestinal wall. Humans who have become infected will show symptoms of
intestinal bleeding, abdominal pains, anemia, severe diarrhea and malnutrition.
is effective against both species, and in addition, will remove the intestinal
worm Ascaris also, if present. The drug is very efficient, requiring only a
single dose and is inexpensive, the perfect drug. However, treatment requires
more than giving the anthelmintic, the patient should also receive dietary
supplements to improve their general level of health, in particular iron
supplementation is very important. Iron is an important constituent of a
multitude of enzyme systems involved in energy metabolism, DNA synthesis and
drug detoxification.
As mentioned earlier larval migrans or as it is also known, creeping eruption,
is also a very uncomfortable symptom of this disease, and can also be caused
by invasion of hookworms from other animals such as cats and dogs. Because
they are in an abnormal host they do not mature to adults but instead migrate
through the skin until killed by the host's inflammatory response. This causes
local intense itching. Topical treatment with thiabendazole ointment is very
effective in controlling this condition.
Control of this parasite should be directed against reducing the level of
environmental contamination. Treatment of heavily infected individuals is one
way to reduce the source of contamination (one study has estimated that 60% of
the total worm burden resides in less than 10% of the population). Other
obvious methods are to improve sanitary condition, e.g. latrines, but also
convincing people to use them by maintaining them in a serviceable form making
them conducive to use. Hookworms still account for high proportion of
debilitating disease in the tropics and 50-60,000 deaths per year can be
attributed to this disease.
Ancylostoma
Ancylostoma is a genus that includes some species of hookworm.Species include:Ancylostoma is a genus that includes some species of hookworm.Species include:Ancylostoma is a genus that includes some species of hookworm....
hookworm
Hookworm
The hookworm is a parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. A. duodenale predominates in the Middle East, North Africa, India...
s. The name is derived from Greek ancylos αγκυλος "crooked, bent" and stoma στομα "mouth."
Ancylostomiasis is also known as miner's anaemia, tunnel disease, brickmaker's anaemia and Egyptian chlorosis. Helminthiasis
Helminthiasis
Helminthiasis is a macroparasitic disease of humans and animals in which a part of the body is infested with parasitic worms such as pinworm, roundworm, or tapeworm...
may also refer to ancylostomiasis, but this term also refers to all other parasitic worm
Parasitic worm
Parasitic worms or helminths are a division of eukaryoticparasites that, unlike external parasites such as lice and fleas, live inside their host. They are worm-like organisms that live and feed off living hosts, receiving nourishment and protection while disrupting their hosts' nutrient...
diseases as well.
Ancylostomiasis is caused when hookworms, present in large numbers, produce an iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is a common anemia that occurs when iron loss occurs, and/or the dietary intake or absorption of iron is insufficient...
by sucking blood from the host's intestinal walls.
Diagnosis
They commonly infect the skin, eyes, and viscera in humans.- Ancylostoma brasiliensis causes cutaneous larva migransCutaneous larva migransCutaneous larva migrans is a skin disease in humans, caused by the larvae of various nematode parasites of the hookworm family...
.
- Toxocara causes visceral larva migrans.
Causes
The infection is usually contracted by persons walking barefoot overcontaminated soil. In penetrating the skin, the larvae may cause an allergic
reaction. It is from the itchy patch at the site of entry that the early
infection gets its nickname "ground itch". Once larvae have broken through the skin,
they enter the bloodstream and are carried to the lungs (unlike ascarids,
however, hookworms do not usually cause pneumonia). The larvae migrate from
the lungs up the windpipe to be swallowed and carried back down to the
intestine. If humans come into contact with larvae of the dog hookworm or the
cat hookworm, or of certain other hookworms that do not infect humans, the
larvae may penetrate the skin. Sometimes, the larvae are unable to complete their
migratory cycle in humans. Instead, the larvae migrate just below the skin
producing snake-like markings. This is referred to as a creeping eruption or
cutaneous larva migrans.
Symptoms
In children (or adults) who walk barefoot, the hookworm can penetrate the soleof the foot and cause a lesion. The larva will then begin to mature while it
moves towards the intestines. As in dogs, the hookworm will attach to the
intestinal wall. Humans who have become infected will show symptoms of
intestinal bleeding, abdominal pains, anemia, severe diarrhea and malnutrition.
Treatment
The drug of choice for the treatment of hookworm disease is mebendazole whichis effective against both species, and in addition, will remove the intestinal
worm Ascaris also, if present. The drug is very efficient, requiring only a
single dose and is inexpensive, the perfect drug. However, treatment requires
more than giving the anthelmintic, the patient should also receive dietary
supplements to improve their general level of health, in particular iron
supplementation is very important. Iron is an important constituent of a
multitude of enzyme systems involved in energy metabolism, DNA synthesis and
drug detoxification.
As mentioned earlier larval migrans or as it is also known, creeping eruption,
is also a very uncomfortable symptom of this disease, and can also be caused
by invasion of hookworms from other animals such as cats and dogs. Because
they are in an abnormal host they do not mature to adults but instead migrate
through the skin until killed by the host's inflammatory response. This causes
local intense itching. Topical treatment with thiabendazole ointment is very
effective in controlling this condition.
Control of this parasite should be directed against reducing the level of
environmental contamination. Treatment of heavily infected individuals is one
way to reduce the source of contamination (one study has estimated that 60% of
the total worm burden resides in less than 10% of the population). Other
obvious methods are to improve sanitary condition, e.g. latrines, but also
convincing people to use them by maintaining them in a serviceable form making
them conducive to use. Hookworms still account for high proportion of
debilitating disease in the tropics and 50-60,000 deaths per year can be
attributed to this disease.