Human neonatal infections with hookworms in an endemic area of Southern Nigeria. A possible transmammary route.

Examination of faecal smears of 316 neonates (4-5 weeks old) in a human hookworm endemic area of southern Nigeria showed that 33 (10%) of them were hookworm infected. The majority of the neonatal infections (88%) were due to Ancylostoma duodenale although Necator americanus was the more prevalent hookworm species in the area. The incidence of neonatal infections was pronounced (64%) for mothers who were A. duodenale-positive 5-6 weeks postpartum. A thorough screening of 12.4 litres of colostral milk from all the 316 nursing mothers failed to show the presence of infective hookworm larvae. These results indicate a possibility of a transmammary infection route for the human hookworm A. duodenale.