Hookworm in the terminal ileum:a common cause of severe anaemia residing in a rare location

Year 2017, Volume: 07 Issue: 02, 98 - 100, 01.06.2017

Rup Jyoti Chandak Archana Thakur

https://doi.org/10.5799/jmid.328793

Abstract

Adult Hookworms usually live in the duodenum and jejunum and can be recovered endoscopically for the diagnosis of
chronic anaemia. This report describes an interesting case where adult hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale) was
recovered from the terminal ileum by colonoscopy in an old female patient suffering from chronic severe anemia. Her
upper gastro intestinal endoscopic findings were normal and fecal occult blood test was positive. The colonoscopic
finding was further confirmed by the presence of characteristic eggs of hookworm in stool microscopy and she was
treated with anthelminthic along with symptomatic measures. Her clinical condition as well as the blood profile
showed much improvement after treatment. Thus, colonoscopy should be considered for the presence of hookworms
if the upper endoscopic findings are normal in a clinically suspected patient. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2017; 7(2): 98-100     

Keywords

Hookworm, colonoscopy, ileum, anemia

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