New treatments are needed to combat hookworms, and one potential strategy is to target their blood-feeding activity. From their host's blood, hookworms scavenge a molecule called heme -- a molecular component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the blood. 22 мар. 2018 г.
What worms feed on blood?
Hookworms are parasites that live inside the intestines. There, they feed on blood from the intestinal wall, mature and lay eggs.
What parasite feeds off red blood cells?
Because Babesia parasites infect and destroy red blood cells, babesiosis can cause a special type of anemia called hemolytic anemia.
Can worms enter bloodstream?
Swallowed eggs pass into the intestines, where they hatch into larvae. The larvae go through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream.
What are small parasites that feed on human blood?
The most commonly encountered blood parasites include Haemoproteus spp., Leucocytozoon spp., Trypanosoma spp., Plasmodium spp. (malaria) and microfilaria. Plasmodium spp., the cause of avian malaria, are mosquito-borne protozoa that occur worldwide.