Known by the ancient Egyptians and identified by Avicenna in the eleventh century as the cause of death, hookworms are worms that parasitize the small intestine and feed on blood.
Its voracity gives rise to a silent disease, but often fatal. Although it is not known exactly what the global distribution of these parasites is, a study in PLOS Medicine estimates that Ancylostoma duodenale, present in the Mediterranean area, and Necator americanus, its most common kin, parasite 740 million people.
The contagion takes place in areas contaminated with human excrements where larvae abound, capable of piercing the skin of those who walk barefoot. These immature specimens migrate through the body, causing damage to the circulatory system and lungs. When they grow large enough, they colonize the small intestine.
Once in their favorite habitat, both species feed on blood, which causes red blood cell fracture and hemoglobin degradation. Although the symptoms may include nausea, abdominal pain or anemia, the condition usually goes unnoticed, even when it causes intestinal bleeding.
