Paper II
Question
Name two parasite which causes iron deficiency anemia
Answer
Two parasites causing iron deficiency anaemia (via chronic intestinal blood loss):
- Ancylostoma duodenale (hookworm) — the adult worm attaches to the small intestinal mucosa and feeds on blood, causing chronic blood loss; each worm can cause loss of a small but significant volume of blood daily, and heavy infection produces significant iron-deficiency anaemia, particularly in malnourished populations.
- Necator americanus (hookworm) — similarly a blood-feeding intestinal nematode, causing chronic occult intestinal blood loss and iron-deficiency anaemia, though generally causing somewhat less blood loss per worm than A. duodenale.
(Other valid examples: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) in heavy infection, via mucosal attachment and associated blood loss; Diphyllobothrium latum, which classically causes megaloblastic (B12-deficiency) anaemia rather than iron-deficiency anaemia, an important distinction.)