How do hookworm larvae infecting hosts compare to Ascaris eggs in transmission entry?
Answer
Hookworm larvae actively penetrate the skin, typically the feet.
Hookworm infection, caused by species like *Necator americanus* and *Ancylostoma duodenale*, utilizes a distinct method of host entry compared to many other gastrointestinal parasites. While the eggs are passed in feces, the infective stage for a new host is the larva, which actively burrows through the skin, most commonly where the feet touch contaminated soil. Once inside, these larvae travel via the bloodstream to the lungs, are coughed up, and then swallowed to mature in the small intestine. This skin penetration is a key difference from the ingestion pathway characteristic of *Ascaris*.
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