How does hookworm enters the body

What are five different ways the body maintains homeostasis? What organs are located on the left side of your body below the rib cage? How can the heart beat when it is outside of the body? What is the "trunk" of the body? Where is it located? See all questions in Organization of the Human Body. They are coughed up into the throat and swallowed. About a week after penetrating the skin, they reach the intestine. Once inside the intestine, the larvae develop into adults. They attach themselves by their mouth to the lining of the upper small intestine, where they feed on blood and produce substances that keep blood from clotting.

As a result, blood is lost, and anemia Overview of Anemia Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells is low. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that enables them to carry oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all parts Other hookworm species usually cause infections only in cats, dogs, or other animals.

However, people are occasionally infected. In people, these hookworms cannot mature and reproduce. However, after larvae of some Ancylostoma species penetrate the skin, they wander in the skin, causing an itchy rash called cutaneous larva migrans Cutaneous Larva Migrans Cutaneous larva migrans is a hookworm infection transmitted from warm, moist soil or sand to exposed skin.

Cutaneous larva migrans is caused by a species of hookworm called Ancylostoma. Rarely, larvae of an animal hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum , travel to the intestine. In such cases, people may have no symptoms or may have abdominal pain.

The number of eosinophils a type of white blood cell may increase in the intestine and blood, as occurs in some worm infections. This condition is known as eosinophilic enteritis. These infections do not cause blood loss and anemia in people. Many people with hookworm infection do not have symptoms.

However at the start of a hookworm infection, an itchy, red, raised rash ground itch may develop where the larvae penetrate the skin. The movement of the larvae through the lungs can cause fever, coughing, and wheezing. When adult worms first attach in the intestine, they can cause pain in the upper abdomen, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss. Over time, severe infections cause anemia as blood is lost, and people become iron deficient Iron Deficiency Anemia Iron deficiency anemia results from low or depleted stores of iron, which is needed to produce red blood cells.

Excessive bleeding is the most common cause. People may be weak, short of breath Transmission Risk factors Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Hookworm and pets Hookworm is a parasite that causes infection in people of all ages. Share on Pinterest Hookworms can enter the skin when a person comes into contact with contaminated soil. Risk factors. Share on Pinterest Walking barefoot on soil can expose a person to hookworm.

Hookworm and pets. Share on Pinterest Taking pets to the vet regularly for testing and treatment can reduce the risk of catching and spreading hookworms. Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Costs associated with obesity may account for 3. Related Coverage.

Everything you need to know about pinworms. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. What to know about parasites. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.

Everything you need to know about tapeworms. One to 2 weeks following treatment, your pediatrician may test another stool sample from your child.

The drug therapy should be repeated if the infection persists. Reinfection is common. Wearing shoes prevents the larvae from entering the body through the feet. If your child goes barefoot, make sure she avoids contact with soil that may be contaminated with human feces.

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