Heavy infections can cause significant protein loss as the host loses both RBC and plasma. Malabsorption as a result of hypoproteinemia aggravates malnutrition. Infection with zoonotic hw.s, especially a.b. can cause lateral migration of larvae to cause cutaneous tracts of larva migrans. Acute intestinal phase in heavy infections - abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia, diarrhea. Well nourished patients with light infections usually have no symptoms and no evidence of anemia or malnutrition.
Severe infestations cause symptoms of anemia, malena, and failure to thrive in infants.
Signs Pallor, edema, evidence of malnutrition. In developing countries, probability of rarer causes of intestinal blood loss is low. Eggs of a.d. Distinction important for the fact that arrested larvae of a.d. can become reactivated sometime after treatment or enter breast milk. Peripheral blood eosinophilia is often first noticed in the context of asymptomatic infection.