A 20-year-old patient presents to the OPD with complaints of abdominal pain, weakness since 2 months. The stool microscopy reveals the following. The most probable causative agent is
High-Yield Explanation
The given clinical history and the stool microscopy showing the egg is suggestive of Ancylostoma duodenale. Eggs of both Ancylostoma Duodenale (old world hookworm) and Necator Americanus(new world hookworm) are identical. The characteristics of hookworm eggs are: Oval or elliptical, colorless non-bile stained Has a thin transparent hyaline shell membrane Segmented ovum - 4 to 8 blastomeres There is a clear space between segmented ovum and eggshell. Eggs float in the saturated salt solution. Humans are infected when filariform larvae in moist soil penetrate the skin or subcutaneous tissue. The average blood loss of the host per worm per day is 0.2 mL with Ancylostoma duodenale and 0.03 mL with Necator americanus. Reference: Paniker&;s Textbook of Medical Parasitology 8th edition