Hookworms in Babies

Hookworm is a common parasitic worm endemic to tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Infections are usually not serious, but in babies, the constant loss of blood can cause major developmental problems.

Prevalence

• According to the MT Herald, 20 percent of the world's population is infected with hookworms. Hookworm infections are especially common in poor areas without adequate sanitation, and children are at higher risk of infection than adults because they often play in dirt and go barefoot.

Symptoms

• Worms feed by sucking blood from inside the host's intestines, which can result in anemia due to blood loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation. In children, anemia can retard growth and interfere with normal brain development, causing permanent mental problems.

Diagnosis

• Hookworm infections are diagnosed by checking for hookworm eggs in the stool.

Spread

• Babies can be born with hookworm if they are born to an infected mother. Hookworms also spread when larvae enter the skin of a person walking barefoot on the soil and through food or water contaminated with larvae.

Species

• The species of hookworms that infect humans are Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Other species of hookworms commonly infect dogs and cats.