Symptoms and Treatments of Stool Parasites
Hookworms
Two hookworm species infect humans. Hookworms travel through the respiratory and circulatory systems to reach the digestive tract. Sometimes they affect breathing or cause lung infections, but most cases are asymptomatic until hookworms reach the small intestine.
Blood loss and anemia are concerns if someone's infected for a long time because each individual stool parasite consumes up to 0.25 milliliters of blood each day. Other symptoms include swelling and fluid retention, weight loss, fatigue, nutritional deficiencies and pica, a craving for nonfood items.
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