MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Hookworm

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Hookworm - close-up of the organism

This is the mouth part of the hookworm Ancyclostoma duodenale. The hookworm uses sharp, curved cutting plates to attach to the lining of the intestine where it sucks blood for nourishment. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Update Date: 6/18/2007

Updated by: Mark Levin, MD, Division of Infectious Disease, MacNeal Hospital, Berwyn, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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