Hook Worm Cure

There are a variety of medications, known as antihelminthics, which are used to cure hookworm infections. They have few side effects and are taken for about one to three days, reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Hookworm cures also involve treatment for anemia.

Most people don't experience symptoms of hookworm infection unless they are heavily infested. In a 2008 Medscape article, doctors said that some people may notice itching and rash at the site of hookworm penetration; cough and low fever may develop as larvae migrate; and gastrointestinal discomfort may occur as larvae enter the intestines.

As the infection worsens, anemia, fatigue, heart issues and weight loss can occur.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis of hookworm is made by examining stool samples

  A hookworm cure depends first on a confirmed diagnosis of hookworm infection. The identification of hookworms is made by examining stool samples. Anemia is diagnosed with blood tests.

  The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reports that as hookworm larvae move through the skin, observation is used to diagnose the hookworm infection. Blood tests don't pick up larvae at this stage.

Treatment in the Larval Stage

• Coughing helps larvae migrate from the lungs to the intestines.

  Hookworms travel from the blood throughout the body and through the skin. They end up in the lungs and coughing helps them to migrate to the intestinal tract where they develop into worms.

  Cough and wheezing due to hookworm larvae can be treated with inhaled beta agonists that open airways. The migrating larvae in the skin can be treated with the same antihelminthics used to treat the adult worms.

Worm Stage Treatment

• Albendazole, mebendazole and pyrental pymoate are the drugs used to cure hookworm infections. In severe cases, surgical removal may also be part of the hookworm cure, says the CDC.

  According to Medscape, 100 mg of mebendazole over three days or 500 mg in one dose is usually enough to kill hookworms; 11 mg to 1 gram of pyrental pymoate over three days can cure hookworm infections; albendazole is used for heavy infections and 400 mg in one dose can destroy hookworms in adults. The dosages of these drugs vary for children.

Anemia Treatment

• In serious cases of hookworm infection, anemia and its complications will also need treatment. The NIH says that increasing protein in the diet is a common recommendation.

  Dr. Khalil Ghanem says that 300 mg of iron supplement should be given to adults and 200 to 300 mg to children for three months to restore the body's iron stores after a hookworm infection. Most people do well with iron supplementation, and blood transfusions carry the risk of cardiovascular effects and risk of HIV infection in developing countries.

Recovery Rates

• Complete recovery from hookworm can occur with these hookworm cures if they are given before serious complications develop, says the NIH.

  Light infections are often left untreated, says the CDC, in countries where hookworm is prevalent and re-infection likely.

  Dr. Ghanem says that footwear use and improved sanitation helped eliminate hookworm infections in the U.S. Mass treatments can help keep hookworm infections down but most developing countries cannot afford them. Iron supplementation has helped to prevent the development of serious anemia in these countries.