title: Gastrointestinal bleeding in the tropics: Look for the hookworm.
abstract: Hookworms are recognised as a cause of iron-deficiency anaemia in endemic areas. They are, however, often not considered in the differential diagnosis of overt gastrointestinal bleeding. We report the endoscopic diagnosis of hookworms as the cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in three patients, two of whom had frank haemorrhage with one presenting in hypovolemic shock. Hookworm infestation is an important treatable cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in tropical countries.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh docvishalsharma@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gunjan
authors.affiliation: Attending Gastroenterologist, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, Punjab.
authors.forename: Puneet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.affiliation: Senior Research Fellow, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: Surinder Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.affiliation: Director, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fortis Hospital, Mohali.
authors.forename: Deepak Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bhasin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004386:Duodenum / Q000469:parasitology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006725:Hookworm Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hookworm; endoscopy; gastrointestinal bleeding; melaena; obscure gastrointestinal bleeding; tropical