Definition

Noun: * Hookworm disease: An intestinal infestation caused by parasitic hookworms. The parasites typically enter the human body through the skin, often from contact with contaminated soil.

Usage

• Hookworm disease is a significant public health concern in regions with poor sanitation.
• The primary symptoms of hookworm disease include abdominal pain and anemia.
• Preventing hookworm disease involves wearing shoes and improving sanitation.

Advanced Usage

• Medical Context: In clinical settings, the term is used to describe the condition resulting from infection by or .
  • The physician diagnosed the chronic fatigue and pallor as a classic case of hookworm disease.

Variants and Related Words

• Hookworm (n): The parasitic nematode worm itself that causes the disease.
  • The life cycle of the hookworm was studied in the lab.
• Ancylostomiasis (n): The technical medical term for hookworm disease.
  • Ancylostomiasis is listed as a neglected tropical disease.

Synonyms

• Ancylostomiasis
• Ground itch (specifically referring to the initial skin infection stage)

Related Phrases

• Soil-transmitted helminthiasis: A broader category of diseases that includes hookworm disease, ascariasis, and whipworm.
  • Mass drug administration programs often target soil-transmitted helminthiasis, including hookworm disease.

Noun

1. infestation of the intestines by hookworms which enter the body (usually) through the skin