Capsule Endoscopy Demonstrating Blood Sucking Hookworms as A Cause of Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Varun Gupta, Praveen Sharma, A

Abstract

Hookworm infestation will usually present with iron deficiency anemia. In this report we present a case of obscure overt gastrointestinal bleeding occuring from last two years in a young individual, requiring 50 units of blood transfusion. He was diagnosed with hookworm infection on a capsule endoscopy, which demonstrated dancing worms buried in the mucosa of small bowel and were actively sucking blood. He was treated with a short course of mebendazole and recovered completely. Capsule endoscopy can be useful in diagnosing hookworm infection if other modalities fail.