Ancylostomiasis natural history, complications and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Kalpana Giri, MBBS[2]

The majority of the infected patients remain asymptomatic. The symptoms of ancylostomiasis typically develop by direct contact of the skin with contaminated soil and the fecal-oral route. The most common complications include: iron deficiency anemia, in child: intellectual and cognitive development, in pregnant women: severe anemia, impaired growth, severe anemia, premature birth, neonatal anemia. Prognosis is generally excellent with proper treatment.

The symptoms of ancylostomiasis typically develop by direct contact of the skin with contaminated soil and the fecal-oral route.^[1]

The majority of the infected patients remain asymptomatic.^[1] The most common complications include:

• Iron deficiency anemia due to chronic blood loss

Children with moderate and heavy intensity hookworm infections include:^[2]

• Impaired growth
• deficits in intellectual and cognitive development.

Women especially pregnant infected with hookworms include:

• Severe anemia
• Increased maternal morbidity and mortality
• Premature birth
• Neonatal anemia

Prognosis is generally excellent with proper treatment and mortality rate in the tropics is approximately 50-60,000 deaths per year. It causes significant morbidity in the form of chronic anemia and protein malnutrition.^[3][4]

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