Hookworm infection and intestinal blood loss

Abstract

The study of 54 subjects infected with Necator americanus showed a high correlation between fecal blood loss measured with Cr51 and hookworm infection estimated either by the number of parasites recovered or by opposition. Fecal blood loss was of the order of 0.03 ml. per worm daily, and 2.1 ml/1000 eggs/g of feces. The number of eggs per female Necator was about 3000 per day and 30/g of feces. In 5 cases studied at different levels of hemoglobin concentration the fecal blood loss and oviposition did not show any consistent pattern. The red cell survival measured with Cr51 was corrected after Fe treatment in 4 out of 5, although they were carrying heavy infections, indicating that the toxin of the parasites does not interfere with the life span of the erythrocytes.