Re: Hookworms(?) - Review

Hi!

You had mentioned your dog and you mentioned a cat. It is the very reason why I put hookworm as a question; a HINT of a direction for study and not something irrational. It seems logical and even plausible as a real existence. Hookworms are known for their penetration of the skin; the sensation would be a pinprick just as you described! In a few weeks you might notice symptoms associated with this; such as, intense itching, sometimes a rash, anemia, etc. (you might have experienced those already if you've been previously infected). FYI: Ascaris, Tapeworm & Hookworm are the top 3 parasites that can infect humans.



http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1529-8019.2002.01505.x

"In addition, the nematodes include the human hookworms Ancylostoma duodenale ... Skin contact leads to a puncture wound with a pinprick sensation followed ..."




CDC Site

http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/dpdx/HTML/Hookworm.htm

"A smaller group of hookworms infecting animals can invade and parasitize humans (A. ceylanicum) or can penetrate the human skin (causing cutaneous larva migrans),

....The second most common human helminthic infection (after ascariasis)."






http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hookworms.html

The hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense ) is one of the classical internal parasites of puppies, the others being roundworms, tapeworms, and coccidia. (There are species of hookworms that infect cats but hookworm infection in the cat is not nearly as common as hookworm infection in the dog.) Hookworm infection has several special features which are of interest to us as the caretakers of dogs:

* Hookworms suck blood.

* Hookworms can be transmitted to unborn pups.

* Hookworms can infect humans.

Before elaborating on these important aspects of hookworm infection, it is important to understand the life cycle of the hookworm, encompassing how infection happens, how the parasite lives, etc.