Hookworm infection in infants: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

Background Hookworm infections (Necator americanus, Ancylostoma duodenale) are common in rural areas of tropical and subtropical countries. Human acquisition results from direct percutaneous invasion of infective larvae from contaminated soil. Overall, almost 472 million people in developing rural countries are infected. According to simulation models, hookworm disease has a global financial impact of over US$100 billion a year. Hookworm infection in newborn or infancy is rare, and most of the cases reported in literature are from endemic countries. Here, we describe the case of an infant with an Ancylostoma duodenale infection and review the literature currently available on this topic. Case presentation An Italian 2-month-old infant presented with vomit and weight loss. Her blood exams showed anemia and eosinophilia and stool analysis resulted positive for hookworms’ eggs, identified as Ancylostoma duodenale with real time-PCR. Parasite research on parents’ stools resulted negative, and since the mother travelled to Vietnam and Thailand during pregnancy, we assumed a transplacental transmission of the infection. The patient was treated successfully with oral Mebendazole and discharged in good conditions. Discussion Hookworm helminthiasis is a major cause of morbidity in children in the tropics and subtropics, but rare in developed countries. Despite most of the patients is usually asymptomatic, children are highly exposed to negative sequelae such as malnutrition, retarded growth and impaired cognitive development. In infants and newborns, the mechanism of infection remains unclear. Although infrequent, vertical transmission of larvae can occur through breastfeeding and transplacentally. Hookworm infection should be taken into account in children with abdominal symptoms and unexplained persistent eosinophilia. The treatment of infants infected by hookworm has potential benefit, but further studies are needed to define the best clinical management of these cases.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Hookworm Infection among Primary School Children in Three Selected Schools in Moriba Town, Southern Sierra Leone

“…Children's hookworm infection was strongly correlated with the family income of the head of the household. The results are consistent with a study conducted in Côte d'Ivoire among school-age children, which revealed that the occupation of the parents was substantially related to the child's hookworm infection [25]. The low financial standing of family heads is most likely to blame for the tendency in the current study.…”

The Role of the Intestinal Epithelium in the “Weep and Sweep” Response during Gastro—Intestinal Helminth Infections

“…According to the CDC (US centers for disease control and prevention) up to 1.12 billion, 795 million, and 740 million people suffer from Ascaris, whipworm, and hookworms, respectively [ 7 ]. Helminth infections may lead to cognitive impairment [ 8 ], tissue damage [ 9 ], pregnancy complications [ 10 ], and numerous other symptoms and can sometimes be fatal [ 11 ]. The high prevalence, detrimental effects, and increasing drug resistance of helminths [ 12 , 13 ] have led to much research on developing vaccines [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]; however, despite promising results, there is still much to be done to achieve final success.…”

Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitosis in Guinea: Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis

“…Additionally, its eggs can remain dormant and tolerate adverse conditions in the soil for up to 10 years [ 91 ]. Hookworm infection is usually associated with bare skin contact with contaminated soil containing third-stage larvae [ 9 ]. S. mansoni infection is a consequence of contact with environmental freshwater infested with parasite larvae.…”

“…The main modes of contamination by these parasites are the eggs present in the stools of infected people or the larvae. Adult worms, which are located in the gut of an infected person, can produce thousands of eggs every day, contaminating environments that lack adequate sanitation [ 8 , 9 ].…”