HOOKWORMS
CLASS: SECERNENTEA
ORDER: STRONGYLIDA
FAMILY: ANCYLOSTOMATIDAE
- Ancylostoma duodenale
- Common name - Old World hookworm of humans
- Ancylostoma caninum
- Common name - dog and cat hookworm
- Ancylostoma braziliense
- Common name - dog and cat hookworm
Characteristics:
Historical: Old World hookworm - discovered by accident in 1896 by a researcher spilling a culture onto his hand. Noticed itching and redness, examined his feces at intervals, found hookworm eggs.
Distribution: Has a more temperate distribution than the New World Hookworm.
Importance: Over 900 million people infected.
Life Cycle:
Symptoms/Pathogenicity:
- Itching following penetration by juveniles
- Congestion in lungs
- Anemia
- Diarrhea
- Debilitation
Management:
- Sanitation in disposal of feces
- Treat anemia
- Wearing shoes in endemic areas
- Drug therapy
Diagnosis - eggs or worms in feces.
Hookworm juveniles (pointed tail) are similar to Strongyloides (notched tail)
Ancylostoma caninum
Common name - dog and cat hookworm
Most common hookworm of dogs and cats in northern hemisphere.
Humans are an aberrant host - infection results in creeping eruption or cutaneous larva migrans from lost juveniles which have penetrated skin.
Ancylostoma braziliense
Common name - dog and cat hookworm
Common in tropics.
Also causes creeping eruption in humans.
Life Cycle:
Direct. Similar to A. duodenale except infection by ingestion is common and some J3 enter skeletal muscles and then enter an arrested state of development. Become reactivated in pregnant dogs and infect puppies prenatally or through milk.
Management: Clean quarters, feces removal, expose quarters to sunshine, anthelmintic treatment, diet.
SELECTED WWW SITES:
ATLAS OF MEDICAL PARASITOLOGY http://www.cdfound.to.it/HTML/atlas.htm
http://martin.parasitology.mcgill.ca/jimspage/biol/hookworm.htm
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