REPORT IPOX THE PREVALENCE AM) OEOGRAPHIC 
DISTRIRl TION OF HOOKWORM DISEASE (I NdNAHIA- 
SIS OR ANCHVLOSTOMIASIS) IN THE IMTED STATES. 
By Cn. Wardell Stiles, Bli. D., 
Chief of Division of Zoology, Hygienic Laboratory, C. S. Jbihlir Health and Marine- 
Hospital Service. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Thoroughly convinced from theoretical zoologic considerations, 
especialh’^ of a faunistic nature, that uncinariasis must he a more or 
less common disease in the Southern portion of the United States. 
1 requested instructions from Surgeon-General Wynian to study 
the sid^ject in a held investigation. The desired authorization was 
received and the results of the work are contained in this paper. 
DEFINITION. 
Uncinariasis is a specihc zooparasitic disease found especially in 
tropical and subtropical sand areas, and caused by hookworms (genus 
Uncinarid) which inhabit the small intestine. Its chief symptoms 
are: Anemia, with the circulatory s}uuptoms found in all extreme 
anemias, namely, dizziness, palpitation, hemic murmurs; great weak- 
ness, in some cases. with considerable emaciation; colicky pains in the 
abdomen; perverted appetite, such as “dirt-eating;'’ constipation or 
diarrhea, stools sometimes brownish or lilood}’; nausea; edema. The 
only positive diagnosis is by hnding the parasite or its eggs in the 
stools. It may affect any cla.ss of patients, but is more frequent in 
per.sons who.se daiU^ life brings them in contact with damp earth 
(children, farmers, miners, brickmakers, excavators, etc.). 
TEKMINOLO(IY. 
The di.sea.se now under di.scu.ssion is known by a number of different 
names, but uncinariasis" should be adopted as the more correct tech- 
nical designation. Among the names frecpiently appli<‘d to it, the 
^Loos.'^ (1902) ha.s recently attempted to yiippre.s‘^ tlie term “ uncinaria.'^i.‘<” in 
favor of anchylostomiaHis, lii.s view being that the genu.'^ Agehyln.yoma is distiin-t 
from Vncinaria. Ilis fjuggestion does not lielp matters much at pri*.‘<ent, Kven if 
the zoological genera are recognize<l as distinct, nncinari;isis wonld still exist in man, 
while among animals it would l)e still more common than anchylostomiasis. Further, 
thetwogenera would probably have to be imittMl in a subfamily, whi<’h couM then 
be called “ Uncinariime,” and uncinariasis could then signify any infection of any 
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