The prevalence of anemia and hookworm Ancylostoma duodenale infection in Mishamish village-Al-Hashimya district- Babylon province-Iraq

Abstract EN

This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of anemia and its relation to hookworm Ancylostoma duodenale infection.

Anemia is a common health problem all over the world and Iron Deficiency Anemia IDA is the most common and important type of anemia which is causally associated with developmental delay and with poor growth.

Hookworm infection is one of the important common cause of IDA.

The study included 138 subjects of different ages from Mishamish village of Al-Hashimiya District, Babylon Province, Iraq.

Fecal specimens and blood samples were collected from each subject.

Fecal samples were microscopically examined by direct and saturated salt floatation technique to investigate the hookworm infection.

Red Blood Corpuscles Count (RBC), Hemoglobin concentration (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Haematocrit (Hct), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), and Red cell Distribution Width (RDW) were measured by automated counter.

Overall anemia percentage was 58.7 %, and was 62.7 % in males compared to 53.9 % in females.

The highest percentage of anemia (76 %) was found in children of 3-5 years age group and decreased with age progress.

It was found that 37 % of anemic subjects were suffering from hookworm infection.

Overall percentage of hookworm infection was 25.4 %, and was 25.3 % in males compared to 25.4 % in females.

The highest percentage of 36 % was found in 3-5 years age group, and decreased as age increased.

Hookworm infection caused significant decrease (P < 0.001) in mean Hb, Hct and MCV, and significant decrease (P < 0.01) in MCH, but it caused significant increase (p < 0.005) in RDW of hookworm infected subjects.

There was positive correlation (r = 0.94), (r = 0.97) between Hb concentration and, Hct & MCV respectively and negative correlation (r = - 0.97) between RDW and Hb in hookworm infected subjects.

Hookworm infected subjects were severed from IDA especially among children and men.

It should be get more attention to these groups of subjects.

Treatment of anemia should be taken with the treatment of hookworm.