Hookworm infection
Diagnosing and treating a hookworm infection
Hookworm infections can be diagnosed by inspecting a stool sample under a microscope in a laboratory and looking for the eggs. If there's an infection, the number of eggs will be counted to see how severe it is.
An infection can be treated with anthelmintic (anti-worm)medication, such as albendazole or mebendazole, which your GP can prescribe. You'll need to take the medication for one to three days. The medications are usually effective and have few side effects.
Albendazole or another medication called ivermectin can be used to treat a cutaneous larva migrans infection of the skin.
If you have anaemia, you may need iron supplements. Folic acid may also be recommended to help replenish your red blood cells.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Read about the symptoms of a hookworm infection, and how it's spread, diagnosed, treated and prevented.
The hookworm life cycle
The larvae and adult worms live in the small intestine (small bowel) of an infected person or animal. If an infected person defecates outside (for example, near bushes or in a field) or if their stoo
Symptoms of a hookworm infection
Most people infected with hookworm don't have any symptoms. The larvae of animal hookworms sometimes get into the skin, usually after lying on sand contaminated by animal faeces while on a beach holi
Diagnosing and treating a hookworm infection
Hookworm infections can be diagnosed by inspecting a stool sample under a microscope in a laboratory and looking for the eggs. If there's an infection, the number of eggs will be counted to see how se
Preventing hookworm infections
If you're travelling to a tropical or sub-tropical region of the world where hookworm infections are common, avoid walking barefoot in areas where there may be contaminated soil, and don't touch soil
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