How to Explain Hook Worm Eggs

Hookworms are a type of bloodsucking parasite known as helminthes. Hookworms hatch in soil, infect a host, grow to maturity in the host's intestines, mate in the intestines and release eggs, which are passed in the host's excrement. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 576 million to 740 million people are infected worldwide. They also indicate that many of those people have no clear symptoms; however, infected persons can have gastrointestinal symptoms, anemia, blood loss and protein loss. Though the best course of action is to avoid exposure, hookworm can be tested for and treated.

Things You'll Need

• Shoes
• Bleach

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Instructions

• 1

  Wear shoes to protect against hookworm infection.

  Wear shoes! Hookworms don't just infect humans; they also infect birds, rodents, cats, dogs and other vertebrates. The CDC notes that hookworm eggs are passed from an infected individual's intestines, in feces, into the environment (most suitably into soil). Once there, the eggs hatch and mature into larva that can burrow into skin (especially bare feet). A hookworm skin infection is itchy at the site of entry. When a host is infected, the worms make their way to the intestines to mature. It's nice to walk on the beach without shoes, but hookworms aren't worth it. If you frequent areas where animals (or people) may have defecated, wearing shoes will protect you from infection.

• 2

  Clean up after your animals to prevent the spread of hookworm.

  Clean up the poop! Whether animal or human, fecal matter is the main mode of transmission from infected individual to the environment. The best way to stop the spread of hookworm is to clean up after yourself and your animals. If you suspect that you or an animal may be infected with hookworm, use bleach to disinfect contaminated areas. Mar Vista Animal Medical Center suggests that bleach will kill any eggs that are present in the environment. If you have an infected animal and are concerned about a contaminated yard, they add that hookworm eggs will not survive for more than one to two months, and cannot survive freezing temperatures.

• 3

  Animals suspected of hookworm infection should be treated right away.

  Examine animals regularly and treat them with de-worming drugs if an infection is suspected. According to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, dogs and cats can contract hookworm from lying on or walking on infected ground or by eating an infected animal. Animals are more at risk for contracting hookworm if they are exposed to areas of greater infestation, such as dog parks or if they routinely catch and eat birds or rodents. Infected mothers can pass worms on to their pups or kittens.

• 4

  Washing produce lessens chances for hookworm infection.

  Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables before you consume them. According to the CDC, hookworm eggs that are ingested are just as capable of infecting an individual as are larva that comes in contact with skin. Whether you grow your own produce or buy it in a market, unwashed fruits and vegetables are a large source of hookworm contamination. Local animal populations that visit your garden, fertilizer that you or a produce farmer used and farm workers who defecate in fields are all sources of possible contamination.

• 5

  See your doctor right away if you think you could be infected with hookworm.

  Get tested and treated by your doctor if you suspect you may be infected. Hookworm is highly treatable and the sooner it is detected the less chance that it can spread to other individuals.