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Review
. 2022 May 13;10(5):1027.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10051027.

Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Anaemia: A Neglected Association Outside the Tropics

Sara Caldrer  1 , Tamara Ursini  1 , Beatrice Santucci  1 , Leonardo Motta  1 , Andrea Angheben  1
Affiliations
Review

Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Anaemia: A Neglected Association Outside the Tropics

Sara Caldrer et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Anaemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Among infectious agents responsible for anaemia, helminthic infections are often neglected, particularly in non-endemic countries. However, they should not be neglected in this setting, as international travel and migration are on the rise. In this narrative review, we aimed to describe soil-transmitted helminths as a cause of or contributing factor to anaemia, focusing on hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale), the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), and the threadworm (Strongyloides stercoralis). A general review on the epidemiology, lifecycle, and clinical spectrum of anaemia is proposed, with a special focus on helminthic infections' association with anaemia as well as the diagnostic approach, which are both particularly important in non-endemic settings.

Keywords: anaemia; hookworms; non-endemic countries; roundworm; soil-transmitted helminths; threadworm; whipworm.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflict of interest.

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