Crompton D W, Whitehead R R
Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Parasitology. 1993;107 Suppl:S137-45. doi: 10.1017/s0031182000075569.
Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus are extremely common species of soil-transmitted helminth which flourish where poverty and malnutrition prevail. Hookworms contribute significantly to iron-deficiency anaemia, which remains one of the world's major nutritional problems, through the feeding activities of intestinal stages leading to chronic blood loss into the gut. In this article, a mathematical model is proposed to explain how human iron metabolism may respond to hookworm infection of varying intensity. The model draws attention to the importance of the regulation of stored iron levels in the process. The results from the model are presented for the effects of hookworm infection on the iron metabolism of a healthy adult male. Calculations are also presented in which the effects of hookworms on the iron metabolism of a non-pregnant woman are compared with those of a pregnant woman. Use of the model may help develop a better understanding of the pathology of hookworm disease.
十二指肠钩口线虫和美洲板口线虫是极为常见的土源性蠕虫，在贫困和营养不良盛行的地区大量繁殖。钩虫通过肠道阶段的摄食活动导致肠道慢性失血，从而对缺铁性贫血有显著影响，而缺铁性贫血仍是世界主要营养问题之一。在本文中，提出了一个数学模型来解释人体铁代谢如何对不同强度的钩虫感染作出反应。该模型强调了在这一过程中调节储存铁水平的重要性。给出了该模型关于钩虫感染对健康成年男性铁代谢影响的结果。还进行了计算，比较了钩虫对非孕妇和孕妇铁代谢的影响。使用该模型可能有助于更好地理解钩虫病的病理。
