1074 25 April 1964 Hookworm Disease in Immigrants

are insanitary. It may also occur in mining communities in Europe if there is a combination of hot moist conditions and poor hygiene (Adams and Maegraith, 1960). The disease causes iron-deficiency anaemia because of loss of blood. The worm attaches itself to the mucosa of the small intestine and sucks the blood of the human host, passing it through its own lumen into the lumen of the gut. In addition, there is oozing of blood from the sites of attachment of the worm. The average loss of blood is about 0.3 ml. per worm per day. It is obvious that if the infestation is heavy, with hundreds of worms present, the loss of blood is considerable (Foy and Kondi, 1960, 1961). There may also be gastrointestinal symptoms, which sometimes occur even when there is