Hookworm Symptoms

Hookworm is common in developing countries that still do not take the proper sanitation measures to keep their soil and sand clean. To diagnose a potential case of hookworm, a doctor will use a blood test, and then they will examine a stool sample for eggs and blood. In some cases, people with hookworm display no symptoms at all, whereas in other cases, the symptoms can be painful and dangerous.

Identification

• Hookworm is the name of a condition and a parasitic animal. A hookworm is a parasite approximately one-half inch long that infects the body normally through the feet, and then makes its way to the intestines and the lungs where it causes the condition known as hookworm. Hookworm larvae normally work their way into the body through the feet, sometimes making a hole in the skin for entry, and then use the bloodstream to get into the lungs. Once in the lungs, they start to work their way up the throat where they are eventually swallowed into the digestive system.

Effects

• Some of the very early symptoms of hookworm happen at the entry point. The entry wound can become swollen and itchy and a rash highlighted by pimples may begin to appear. As the hookworm works its way up the windpipe, it will start to cause symptoms such as a chronic cough and labored or difficult breathing that is signified by a wheezing sound. Once the hookworm is in the digestive system, it will start to cause symptoms such as nausea that could possibly lead to vomiting, a fever, persistent abdominal cramps caused by bloating and gas, diarrhea, loss of appetite and blood in the stool.

Potential

• One of the more serious symptoms of hookworm is anemia. When the parasites get into the intestines, they begin to cause internal bleeding as they feed on the walls of the intestines and the body's blood. This will cause a significant drop in blood available to the rest of the body, which causes the iron and oxygen deficiency known as anemia. Anemia causes symptoms such as increased fatigue and a general feeling of being ill. Anemia drops the level of blood, which will cause the skin to start to turn white and also become cold to the touch. This normally starts in the extremities, so the fingertips may start to turn white and feel cold first.

Prevention/Solution

• A hookworm infestation is eliminated through anti-parasite medication such as albendazole. Other treatment will depend on how long the body was infected and how much damage was done. A severe drop in blood will require a blood transfusion, and a doctor may recommend that the patient also eat a great deal of protein to regain the nutrients lost during anemia. Since anemia deprives the internal organs of oxygen, there may be a need to treat some of the internal organs as well. For example, anemia may cause the liver to malfunction, which would need to be corrected through a separate treatment.

Considerations

• The most common way to become infected with a hookworm is to come into contact with soil or sand that has feces or other waste in it. Sanitation measures in the United States have helped to make hookworm a rare condition, but in the developing parts of the world that are still working on proper sanitation measures, hookworm can be prevalent.