Ancylostomiasis

Ancylostomiasis is a hookworm disease caused by infection with Ancylostoma species, characterized by iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss from the intestinal walls. The condition has alternative names such as miner's anaemia and Egyptian chlorosis and is recognized in the UK under Industrial Injuries Disability Benefit.

The disease occurs when hookworm larvae penetrate the skin, often through walking barefoot on contaminated soil. This can trigger allergic reactions and cause "ground itch" at the entry site. Depending on the species, symptoms vary: Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus lead to internal infections causing anaemia, while Ancylostoma braziliensis results in skin lesions treated with ivermectin.

Diagnosis involves identifying infections in the skin, eyes, or viscera; for example, A. brasiliensis causes cutaneous larva migrans, while Toxocara causes visceral larva migrans.

Prevention focuses on improving sanitation and treating heavily infected individuals to reduce environmental contamination. Treatment typically uses mebendazole, effective against multiple worm species, along with iron supplements. Albendazole is more effective for Necator americanus infections. Historical treatments included thymol and tetrachloroethylene but are now obsolete.

Epidemiologically, Ancylostomiasis was first described in 1852 and remains a significant tropical disease, causing around 50–60,000 deaths annually.