EVERE ANAEMIA WITH SEVERE EOSINOPHILIA IN A PATIENT WITH HOOKWORM INFECTION IN OUR STUDY –AN EXTREMELY RARE FINDING

Objective: Severe anaemia is reported to occur in severe hookworm infection in many studies. Severe eosinophilia is also reported to occur in hookworm infection in many studies. But so far detailed study was not done to know about the occurence of both severe anaemia and severe eosinophilia in patients with hookworm infection found while doing upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy. Hence a detailed studywas done to know about the occurence of both severe anaemia and severe eosinophilia in patients with hookworm infection found while doing upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy.
Methods:A study of 1137 patients who had undergone upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy for a period of four years and eight months from May 2009 to December2013 was carried out. In each of these 1137 patients, the first and second part of duodenum were carefully examined to find out the presence of hookworms. In all the patients found to have hookworms in duodenum, investigations were done to know about the presence or absence of anaemia and severe anaemia and the presence or absence of eosinophilia and severe eosinophilia. The results were found as given below.
Results: Out of these  1137 patients, 14 patients found to have hookworms in duodenum while doing upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy were taken into consideration for our study. Out of these 14 patients with hookworms in duodenum, 9 patients had anaemia and 2 of these 9 patients were found to have severe anaemia (haemoglobin<7g/dl or g%). Out of these14 patients, 10 patients were found to have eosinophilia and 4 out of these 10 patients were found to have severe eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count>1000cells/cu.mm). But one patient with hookworms in duodenum had both severe anaemia and severe eosinophilia.
Conclusion: Out of the 14 patients with hookworms in duodenum, only one patient had both severe anaemia and severe eosinophilia. Hence occurence of both severe anaemia and severe eosinophilia is an extremely rare finding in patients with hookworm infection.