Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Metabolism in Hookworm-Infected Patients

Abstract

Studies on the metabolism of B12 and folic acid were performed in patients with heavy hookworm infection and severe iron deficiency anemia, and in patients with light infection, noninfected patients and normal subjects. Patients with heavy hookworm infection showed a marked decrease of the serum B12 as compared with normal subjects. Eight of 21 cases studied showed values of serum B12 below 100 µµg./ml. Twelve of 13 patients with severe hookworm infection showed impairment of the pteroylglutamic acid intestinal absorption; however, none of them exhibited megaloblastic proliferation in the bone marrow. They all recovered with iron therapy alone. The patients with light infection and the noninfected patients with iron deficiency anemia did not demonstrate significant differences from the normal subjects studied.

Application of Radioisotopes in the Study of Hookworm Infection in Thailand*

“…The findings that 6 out of 13 patients with hookworm anaemia had an impaired absorption of folic acid was very similar to the results obtained by Layrisse et al (1959;1964), who found definite impairment of folk acid absorption in the majority of the 34 patients they studied. Low serum folate activity has been observed in heavily infected subjects by Layrisse et al.…”

“…Low level of vitamin BIZ in serum of heavily infected subjects has been reported by Layrisse et al (1959;1964) while the Schilling test showed normal absorption in all these cases studied. These results can be probably interpreted as being due to a low intake of animal protein, or possibly to malabsorption of this vitamin undetectable by the Schilling method.…”