This past Spring, students from Boston University put together a series of brief 1-page flyers on 8 neglected diseases (the “big 7” plus Chagas) as a resource for raising awareness about NTDs amongst their student body. The fact sheets were themed “Worm of the Week,” highlighting one of eight NTDs each week. Fact sheets were distributed during periodic bake sales and on student listservs, and was an effective way to connect with people and spread the word about NTDs within the students’ academic community. Below is a reprint of one of the fact sheets on hookworm:
Hookworm
Ancylostoma duodenale AND Necator americanus
Hookworm
The 2nd most common helminthic infection after ascariasis and the leading cause of anemia and protein malnutrition affecting 740 million people worldwide. Infections can be limited to the skin (cutaneous larva migrans) or involve the small intestine by passing through the lungs. Larvae penetrate skin from feces and/or soil contaminated with nematode eggs. Adult hookworms can live in the body for 1-2 years. Cutaneous infections are caused by larvae that use dogs and cats as definitive hosts.
Symptoms
Ground itch or cutaneous larva migrans presents with a pruritic serpiginous rash. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common symptom of intestinal infection. Cardiac complications, gastrointestinal and nutritional symptoms may also occur. Respiratory symptoms may occur during pulmonary migration of the larvae. Reinfection is common.
Diagnosis
Microscopic identification of eggs in feces is evidence of infection.
Treatment
Albendazole, mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate are the drugs of choice but are considered investigational in the US.
Prevention and Control
In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a resolution aimed at the “deworming” of 75 percent of all at-risk school-age children by 2010, the largest public health program ever attempted to date. As with the other soil-transmitted helminths, treatment of hookworm infection is coupled with education efforts aimed at proper waste disposal and sanitation management. The Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative currently has vaccines in Phase I and II trials.
Sources: http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/soa_parasitic/en/index2.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/hookworm/default.htm
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