Hookworms in humans are intestinal parasites that mainly cause blood loss leading to iron‑deficiency anemia and protein malnutrition, especially in children and pregnant people. Many infections cause few or no symptoms, but heavier infections can significantly affect growth, energy, and overall health.
What hookworms are
Hookworm infection in humans is most often caused by the species Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale, with Ancylostoma ceylanicum also emerging in some regions. These are soil‑transmitted helminths (worms) that live attached to the lining of the small intestine and feed on blood.
How people get infected
People typically become infected when larvae in contaminated soil penetrate bare skin, often the feet or exposed legs. The larvae travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, are coughed up and swallowed, then mature into adult worms in the small intestine where they attach and begin feeding and producing eggs that pass out in stool.
Symptoms and health effects
Early signs can include an itchy, red rash at the site where larvae entered the skin and sometimes mild cough or chest symptoms as they pass through the lungs. Longer‑term intestinal infection may cause abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, pallor, and in heavier infections, iron‑deficiency anemia, protein loss, weight loss, and impaired physical and cognitive development in children.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis is usually made by examining a stool sample under a microscope to look for hookworm eggs. Standard treatment is a short course of antiparasitic medication such as albendazole or mebendazole, often combined with iron and nutritional support if anemia or protein deficiency is present.
Prevention steps
Prevention focuses on good sanitation and avoiding skin contact with contaminated soil. Key measures include not walking barefoot where human feces may contaminate soil, using toilets or latrines, safely disposing of feces, and in endemic areas, periodic deworming programs for at‑risk groups like children.
