The most serious results of hookworm infection are the development of anemia and protein deficiency caused by blood loss. When children are continuously infected by many worms, the loss of iron and protein can retard growth and mental development, sometimes irreversibly. Hookworm infection can also cause tiredness, difficulty breathing, enlargement of the heart, and irregular heartbeat. Sometimes hookworm infection is fatal, especially among infants. Visit your health care provider.
Infection is diagnosed by identifying hookworm eggs in a stool sample.
In countries where hookworm is common and reinfection is likely, light infections are often not treated. In the United States, hookworm infections are generally treated for 1-3 days with medication prescribed by your health care provider. The drugs are effective and appear to have few side effects. For children under the age of 2, the decision to treat should be made by their health care provider. Another stool exam should be repeated 1 to 2 weeks after therapy.