Hook Health Dictionary

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Hook: From 1 Different Sources

Hookworm

A parasitic nematode found in the intestines of humans and animals. They are usually transmitted byinfection with the third stage filariform larva orally or through the skin. Examples include Ancyclostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. See also associated diseases such as eosinophilic enteritis and cutaneous larva migrans.... hookworm

Actinodaphne Hookeri

Meissn.

Synonym: A. angustifolia Nees.

Family: Lauraceae.

Habitat: The western Ghats, Orissa and Sikkim up to 1,500 m.

Siddha/Tamil: Thali, Paratathali.

Folk: Pisaa (Maharashtra).

Action: Infusion of leaves—urinary tract disinfectant, antidiabetic, spasmolytic.

The leaves contain a very small amount of an amorphous alkaloid. They also contain beta-sitosterol, hen- triacontanone, hentriacontanol and quercetin-3-rhamnoside and hydrocarbons.

The bark gives an alkaloid, actino- daphnine.

The roots contain a flavanone glycoside.... actinodaphne hookeri

Doronicum Hookeri

Hook. f.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: The Himalayas at Lachen and Tungu, and Sikkim.

English: Leopard's Bane. (Arnica montana Linn. is also known as Leopard's Bane.)

Unani: Daarunaj Aqrabi.

Action: Root—used as a constituent of cardiac and nervine tonics. Used as exhilarant. Acts as a stomachic and dissolves trapped gases.... doronicum hookeri

False Hookworm

Ternidens deminuus, an intestinal nematode of monkeys in the Old World tropics and recorded from humans in Southern Africa and Mauritius. One of the nodular worms.... false hookworm

Hookworm Infestation

An infestation of the small intestine by small, round, blood-sucking worms of the NECATOR AMERICANUS or ANCYLOSTOMA DUODENALE species. Hookworm infestation occurs mainly in the tropics.

The larvae penetrate the skin of the feet or are ingested. They migrate throughout the body and mature in the small intestine. Adult worms lay eggs, which pass out in the faeces.

When larvae penetrate the skin, a red, itchy rash may develop on the feet. In light infestations, there may be no further symptoms. In heavier infestations, migration of the larvae through the lungs may produce cough and pneumonia; adult worms in the intestines may cause abdominal discomfort. The most important problem is iron-deficiency anaemia due to loss of blood.

Diagnosis is made by microscopic examination of the faeces for worm eggs. Anthelmintic drugs kill the worms. (See also larva migrans.)... hookworm infestation

Hookworm Disease

a condition resulting from an infestation of the small intestine by hookworms. Hookworm larvae live in the soil and infect humans by penetrating the skin. The worms travel to the lungs in the bloodstream and from there pass via the windpipe and gullet to the small intestine. Heavy hookworm infections may cause considerable damage to the wall of the intestine, leading to a serious loss of blood; this, in conjunction with malnutrition, can provoke severe anaemia. Symptoms include itching and rash at the site of infection, followed by abdominal pain, diarrhoea, debility, and mental inertia. More serious effects can include difficulty in breathing, heart enlargement, and irregular heartbeat. The disease occurs mostly in the tropics and subtropics; mebendazole is used in treatment.... hookworm disease

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