A hookworm is a parasite that works its way into the intestine. Hookworm disease is a common disease that afflicts 740 million people throughout the world, according to an estimation made by the World Health Organization. Fortunately, hookworm in the United States is now under control after being a major problem in the southeast.
History
In 1902, Charles Stiles, a zoologist, found that hookworm disease had spread throughout the coastal plain. In 1909, John D. Rockefeller set up the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease. A survey on hookworm was taken in 600 Southern counties between the years 1910 and 1911, and the findings showed that approximately 7.5 million people living in the South had hookworm. A campaign engaged in by the Rockefeller Commission took steps to foster traveling dispensaries that offered treatment for hookworm, and education on the disease was made available. Despite its efforts to wipe out hookworm, the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission for the Eradication of Hookworm Disease ended in 1914 without eradicating the disease.
Identification
Hookworms are found in warm and humid climates all over the world. The larvae of the hookworm stay in the soil and infect people when they come in contact with the skin. Walking with bare feet on dirt that contains larvae can transmit hookworm disease. Transmission can also occur by ingesting the soil the larvae are in. After the larvae penetrate the skin, they enter the bloodstream, go to the lungs and enter the mouth where they are then swallowed. From there they make their way to the small intestine.
Treatment
Treatment for hookworms is short and effective. Medication is the usual remedy for hookworms, and treatment can take as little as three days. Mebendazole or albendazole is sometimes prescribed. If you have become anemic as a result of hookworm disease, your doctor also prescribe iron pills. He may suggest iron supplementation if he finds you have over 2,000 eggs in one gram of feces.
Prevention
Protect yourself from getting hookworm by avoiding sandy areas or dirt. Do not walk on sand or dirt you suspect may have human excrement in it. Keep your hands out of the sand or dirt as well, and if you have children, make sure they do the same. Watch small children very carefully to make sure they do not put the sand or dirt in their mouth. If you have a dog or a cat, see that it is dewormed so that it cannot deposit hookworm larvae in soil your children may play or walk in.
Warning
Hookworm causes diarrhea, pain in the abdomen, stomach cramps, loss of weight and upset stomach. People who have enough iron and no health problems often show no symptoms, but are at risk of developing severe anemia if they are not treated. Hookworms live on human blood and liquid from the tissues in the body. After drinking the blood for such a long period of time, the red blood cell count can drop down enough to create adverse health conditions in children, women who are pregnant and anyone who is poorly nourished. Another serious health problem associated with hookworm disease is a delay in physical and mental growth. Breathing problems upon exertion may also manifest, as well as lethargy. In extreme cases, congestive heart failure can occur.
