Incidence of Anaemia Due To Hookworm Infestation in Patients Attending Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

A study on the incidence of anaemia due to hookworm infestation was carried out among patients attending Murtala Muhanmmad Specialist Hospital in Kano metropolis between December 2010 and January 2011. Out of the 200 stool samples examined by formol-ether concentration technique, only 1 (0.5%) was found to be positive for the hookworm infection and the anaemia status of the positive patient was negative as determined using haematocrit technique. Therefore, this study presented a very low incidence of the infection and the anaemic status obtained from the hookworm positive patient showed that the infection is not severe. The reason for the low incidence of the hookworm infection in this study could be attributed to strict personal and community hygiene, improved sanitary conditions, better awareness, proper disposal of sewage and less availability of breeding habitats for the hookworm larvae in the area. Therefore, more emphasis should be laid on personal and community hygiene in order to remain healthy and free from this kind of infection among other measures.

Keywords: Anaemia, hookworm, hospital, community hygiene