Human neonatal infections with hookworms in an endemic area of Southern Nigeria. A possible transmammary route.
Examination of faecal smears of 316 neonates (4-5 weeks old) in a human hookworm endemic area of southern Nigeria showed that 33 (10%) of them were hookworm infected. The majority of the neonatal infections (88%) were due to Ancylostoma duodenale although Necator americanus was the more prevalent hookworm species in the area. The incidence of neonatal infections was pronounced (64%) for mothers who were A. duodenale-positive 5-6 weeks postpartum. A thorough screening of 12.4 litres of colostral milk from all the 316 nursing mothers failed to show the presence of infective hookworm larvae. These results indicate a possibility of a transmammary infection route for the human hookworm A. duodenale.
D000724:Ancylostomiasis / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000469:parasitology*; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000635:transmission; D009549:Nigeria; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000469:parasitology