Ancylostomiasis (Hookworm) in Wisconsin

• Skin (initial): Itchy rash, often called \"ground itch,\" at the site where larvae penetrate.
• Lungs (transient): Mild cough or wheezing, sometimes a low-grade fever (often asymptomatic).
• Intestinal (chronic):
• Iron deficiency anemia: Fatigue, weakness, pallor, shortness of breath, dizziness.
• Abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
• In children, impaired physical growth and cognitive development.

Hookworm is primarily transmitted when infective larvae, found in soil contaminated by the feces of infected individuals, penetrate the skin—most commonly through bare feet. These larvae then migrate through the bloodstream to the lungs, are coughed up and swallowed, and mature into adult worms in the small intestine, where they attach and feed on blood.

• Wear shoes, especially in areas where soil may be contaminated with human feces.
• Practice good sanitation, including proper disposal of human waste in latrines or toilets.
• Avoid defecating on the ground.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
• Mass drug administration programs in highly endemic regions can reduce community-wide infection rates. (No vaccine is currently available.)