Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses ▼Hookworm Infection: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Written by Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNPReviewed by Alana Biggers, MD, MPHLast reviewed: Sat 24 Sep 2016
Hookworm is a parasite that is behind millions of infections worldwide. This intestinal parasite can cause a host of complications in people of all ages.

Hookworms that infect humans include the Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus species.

These soil-transmitted worms are found in tropical and subtropical locations and thrive in moist, hot climates. However, hookworms can be found in many countries and continents including the United States, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Australia, and southern Europe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 576 and 740 million people worldwide have hookworm infections.


Contents of this article:

How do people get a hookworm infection?
Symptoms of a hookworm infection
Diagnosis and treatment
Prevention of hookworm infection
Hookworms and pets
How do people get a hookworm infection?

Hookworms tend to live in tropical and subtropical locations and do best in moist, hot climates.
The larvae of hookworm are transmitted through the skin after contamination with human feces. This often occurs by walking barefoot on soil or ingesting soil particles that have been contaminated with larvae.

Contamination can occur when a hookworm-infected person defecates in the soil or when human feces are used as fertilizer.

After ingestion or skin penetration, the hookworm larvae make their way into the body's bloodstream and lymphatic vessels. They are transported to the lungs and eventually the mouth.

Once digested, mature hookworms attach to the small intestine and gain nutrients through human blood. In some cases, this may lead to anemia from the loss of blood to the hookworms.

The small intestine is also the location where mating occurs, and thousands of eggs can be released into human feces. Despite the presence of hookworm in the feces, personal contact is not a method of transmission. The eggs need to mature into larvae within the soil.

There are certain groups of people who are at a higher risk of contracting the parasite. These groups include:

People who live in warm, tropical, or subtropical areas
People exposed to poor sanitation management and hygiene, especially if walking barefoot or with skin-to-soil contact
Women who are pregnant and those who are of childbearing age
Young children who are exposed to contaminated soil or sandboxes
People who have contact with contaminated soil, especially farmers, plumbers, electricians, and exterminators
People who sunbathe on contaminated sand
Other occupations with a higher risk include those that require crawling underneath raised buildings. The risk increases when "night soil" or fertilizer made from human feces is used.

Symptoms of a hookworm infection
People infected with hookworm may show some of the following symptoms:


Stomach pain and diarrhea are a couple of symptoms of a hookworm infection.
Skin rash in one area that is typically red, raised, and itchy
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Breathing complications such as wheezing and cough
Fever
Stomach pain
Diarrhea
Extreme tiredness and weakness
Iron deficiency anemia or malnutrition
Physical and thought development problems in children due to severe anemia
Heart failure and widespread tissue swelling secondary to severe anemia
Diagnosis and treatment
To diagnose hookworm and its effects, healthcare providers may request certain testing including:

A stool sample to check for hookworm eggs
Blood samples to check for the presence of anemia or a lack of certain nutrients
Certain medications are recommended to treat a hookworm infection, usually given for 1 to 3 days. Medications such as albendazole or mebendazole may be given to treat the parasitic infection, and iron supplementation may be required for those with secondary anemia.

The drugInfectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
▼Hookworm Infection: Causes, Symptoms, and TreatmentWritten by Lori Smith BSN MSN CRNPReviewed by Alana Biggers, MD, MPHLast reviewed: Sat 24 Sep 2016 emailSHARE
Hookworm is a parasite that is behind millions of infections worldwide. This intestinal parasite can cause a host of complications in people of all ages.

Hookworms that infect humans include the Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus species.

These soil-transmitted worms are found in tropical and subtropical locations and thrive in moist, hot climates. However, hookworms can be found in many countries and continents including the United States, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Australia, and southern Europe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 576 and 740 million people worldwide have hookworm infections.


Contents of this article:

How do people get a hookworm infection?
Symptoms of a hookworm infection
Diagnosis and treatment
Prevention of hookworm infection
Hookworms and pets
How do people get a hookworm infection?

Hookworms tend to live in tropical and subtropical locations and do best in moist, hot climates.
The larvae of hookworm are transmitted through the skin after contamination with human feces. This often occurs by walking barefoot on soil or ingesting soil particles that have been contaminated with larvae.

Contamination can occur when a hookworm-infected person defecates in the soil or when human feces are used as fertilizer.

After ingestion or skin penetration, the hookworm larvae make their way into the body's bloodstream and lymphatic vessels. They are transported to the lungs and eventually the mouth.

Once digested, mature hookworms attach to the small intestine and gain nutrients through human blood. In some cases, this may lead to anemia from the loss of blood to the hookworms.

The small intestine is also the location where mating occurs, and thousands of eggs can be released into human feces. Despite the presence of hookworm in the feces, personal contact is not a method of transmission. The eggs need to mature into larvae within the soil.

There are certain groups of people who are at a higher risk of contracting the parasite. These groups include:

People who live in warm, tropical, or subtropical areas
People exposed to poor sanitation management and hygiene, especially if walking barefoot or with skin-to-soil contact
Women who are pregnant and those who are of childbearing age
Young children who are exposed to contaminated soil or sandboxes
People who have contact with contaminated soil, especially farmers, plumbers, electricians, and exterminators
People who sunbathe on contaminated sand
Other occupations with a higher risk include those that require crawling underneath raised buildings. The risk increases when "night soil" or fertilizer made from human feces is used.

Symptoms of a hookworm infection
People infected with hookworm may show some of the following symptoms:


Stomach pain and diarrhea are a couple of symptoms of a hookworm infection.
Skin rash in one area that is typically red, raised, and itchy
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Breathing complications such as wheezing and cough
Fever
Stomach pain
Diarrhea
Extreme tiredness and weakness
Iron deficiency anemia or malnutrition
Physical and thought development problems in children due to severe anemia
Heart failure and widespread tissue swelling secondary to severe anemia
Diagnosis and treatment
To diagnose hookworm and its effects, healthcare providers may request certain testing including:

A stool sample to check for hookworm eggs
Blood samples to check for the presence of anemia or a lack of certain nutrients
Certain medications are recommended to treat a hookworm infection, usually given for 1 to 3 days. Medications such as albendazole or mebendazole may be given to treat the parasitic infection, and iron supplementation may be required for those with secondary anemia.

The drugWritten by Lori Smith BSN MSN MPHLast reviewed: Sat 24 Sep 2016
Hookworm is a parasite that is behind millions of infections worldwide. This intestinal parasite can cause a host of complications in people of all ages.

Hookworms that infect humans include the Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus species.

These soil-transmitted worms are found in tropical and subtropical locations and thrive in moist, hot climates. However, hookworms can be found in many countries and continents including the United States, Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, Australia, and southern Europe.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 576 and 740 million people worldwide have hookworm infections.


Contents of this article:

How do people get a hookworm infection?
Symptoms of a hookworm infection
Diagnosis and treatment
Prevention of hookworm infection
Hookworms and pets
How do people get a hookworm infection?

Hookworms tend to live in tropical and subtropical locations and do best in moist, hot climates.
The larvae of hookworm are transmitted through the skin after contamination with human feces. This often occurs by walking barefoot on soil or ingesting soil particles that have been contaminated with larvae.

Contamination can occur when a hookworm-infected person defecates in the soil or when human feces are used as fertilizer.

After ingestion or skin penetration, the hookworm larvae make their way into the body's bloodstream and lymphatic vessels. They are transported to the lungs and eventually the mouth.

Once digested, mature hookworms attach to the small intestine and gain nutrients through human blood. In some cases, this may lead to anemia from the loss of blood to the hookworms.

The small intestine is also the location where mating occurs, and thousands of eggs can be released into human feces. Despite the presence of hookworm in the feces, personal contact is not a method of transmission. The eggs need to mature into larvae within the soil.

There are certain groups of people who are at a higher risk of contracting the parasite. These groups include:

People who live in warm, tropical, or subtropical areas
People exposed to poor sanitation management and hygiene, especially if walking barefoot or with skin-to-soil contact
Women who are pregnant and those who are of childbearing age
Young children who are exposed to contaminated soil or sandboxes
People who have contact with contaminated soil, especially farmers, plumbers, electricians, and exterminators
People who sunbathe on contaminated sand
Other occupations with a higher risk include those that require crawling underneath raised buildings. The risk increases when "night soil" or fertilizer made from human feces is used.

Symptoms of a hookworm infection
People infected with hookworm may show some of the following symptoms:


Stomach pain and diarrhea are a couple of symptoms of a hookworm infection.
Skin rash in one area that is typically red, raised, and itchy
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Breathing complications such as wheezing and cough
Fever
Stomach pain
Diarrhea
Extreme tiredness and weakness
Iron deficiency anemia or malnutrition
Physical and thought development problems in children due to severe anemia
Heart failure and widespread tissue swelling secondary to severe anemia
Diagnosis and treatment
To diagnose hookworm and its effects, healthcare providers may request certain testing including:

A stool sample to check for hookworm eggs
Blood samples to check for the presence of anemia or a lack of certain nutrients
Certain medications are recommended to treat a hookworm infection, usually given for 1 to 3 days. Medications such as albendazole or mebendazole may be given to treat the parasitic infection, and iron supplementation may be required for those with secondary anemia.