Hookworm
The content of the article:
- Causes and risk factors
- Disease stages
- Symptoms
- Diagnostics
- Treatment
- Possible complications and consequences
- Forecast
- Prevention
Ankylostomiasis (Egyptian chlorosis, miners' rash, earthen scabies) is a parasitic disease caused by a duodenal hookworm (a helminth from the class of roundworms). The disease proceeds with severe allergic lesions of the skin, organs of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system, iron deficiency anemia.
Ankylostomiasis is mainly found in Central Africa, South America, in some regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus. In Russia, the disease is recorded only in the form of isolated cases and has an imported nature. The most favorable for the life of the duodenal hookworm is high temperature and humidity. It is these conditions that are observed in deep-lying mines (hence the name - miners' rash).
Ankylostomiasis - a disease with allergic lesions of the skin, gastrointestinal tract, iron deficiency anemia
The susceptibility to infection is general. For hookworm infection, there is no clearly pronounced seasonality of morbidity, however, during the rainy season, due to high humidity, infection with parasite larvae occurs more often.
Causes and risk factors
The causative agent of ankylostomiasis is Ancylostoma duodenale (duodenal crooked head, duodenal crooked head, duodenal crooked head). The source of infection is a sick person who releases hookworm eggs into the environment. Under favorable conditions, larvae appear from them in a week. During development, they undergo several molts, after about 7-10 days they reach the invasive stage and can maintain their viability in the soil for up to two years.
Infection with hookworm infection occurs due to the introduction of an invasive form of larvae through the skin or as a result of swallowing them with contaminated water, vegetables or fruits.
Adult sexually mature helminth Ancylostoma duodenale
The larvae with blood flow enter the lungs, where the process of their maturation takes place. This phase of the disease is called migratory. During a cough, the larvae are coughing up from the respiratory tract along with sputum and enter the oral cavity, some of them are swallowed and enters the digestive tract. Here the final maturation of the larvae takes place and their transformation into adult sexually mature helminths, which retain their viability for up to four years. This is the chronic phase of the disease.
Ankylostomiasis is dangerous for pregnant women. In the migration phase, helminth larvae can penetrate the fetus through the placenta, causing intrauterine infection.
Disease stages
During hookworm infection, there are three stages:
- Incubation period.
- Migration phase.
- Chronic phase.
Symptoms
The incubation period for hookworm infection is 1.5-2 months. At this time, there are no manifestations of the disease in the patient. With massive infection by hookworm larvae through the skin, unpleasant sensations in the area of introduction, reminiscent of a burning sensation from nettle, may be noted. Penetrating through the skin, hookworm larvae often create prerequisites for the penetration of other pathogenic microflora (staphylococci, streptococci), which causes purulent-inflammatory lesions of the skin.
The first manifestations of hookworm infection are usually:
- increased body temperature;
- asthmoid phenomena;
- burning and itching of the skin;
- eosinophilia;
- urticarial eruptions.
Burning and itching of the skin are common manifestations of hookworm infection
After the penetration of parasites into the intestines and the transition of the disease into the chronic phase, there are:
- nausea, vomiting;
- increased salivation;
- bloating;
- diarrhea alternating with constipation;
- stomach ache.
In some patients, the chronic phase of ankylostomosis proceeds under the guise of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. This condition is called pseudo-ulcer syndrome.
Another characteristic sign of hookworm disease is the development of hypochromic anemia.
With ankylostomiasis, the nervous system also suffers, which leads to general weakness, lethargy, and decreased ability to work. Untreated hookworm disease in children can cause them to lag behind in both mental and physical development.
With a slight invasion, the disease is almost asymptomatic (subclinical course) and is manifested only by an increase in the number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of ankylostomiasis is carried out on the basis of the detection of eggs of the parasite in the feces and contents of the duodenum. Serological reactions can be used: latex agglutination and hemagglutination. The setting of skin tests for hookworm infection is also of diagnostic value.
Treatment
With ankylostomiasis, etiotropic therapy is carried out, consisting in the appointment of antiparasitic agents that affect roundworms.
Antiparasitic agents - the basis of the treatment of hookworm infection
With a significant decrease in the level of hemoglobin, iron-deficient drugs are indicated, and in especially severe cases, blood transfusion may be required.
Severe allergization of the body requires desensitizing therapy.
Possible complications and consequences
For hookworm the following complications are characteristic:
- infection of the skin at the site of introduction of the larvae with the development of a purulent-inflammatory reaction;
- severe allergic reactions (laryngeal spasm, angioedema), which can cause acute respiratory failure;
- cachexia (with long-term and massive invasion);
- delayed psychomotor development in children.
Forecast
In 95% of cases, it is possible to achieve complete recovery of patients after the first course of therapy.
Prevention
Prevention of hookworm infection includes:
- careful adherence to the rules of personal hygiene;
- identification and treatment of people suffering from hookworm disease;
- a ban on the admission to underground work of any kind of persons suffering from hookworm disease;
- disinfection of soil in the foci of infection.
In foci of ankylostomiasis, you should not walk barefoot on the grass, lie on thin mats. Vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed and poured over with boiling water before use, drink only boiled or bottled water.
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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author
Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.
Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.
The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
