Zinc in the pathogenesis of hookworm anaemia

Serum zinc levels in 90 patients with hookworm infection were compared with those of 26 uninfected controls. The severity of infection was graded in terms of haemoglobin levels as well as egg loads. The results showed that the serum zinc levels in anaemic patients with hookworm infection were significantly lower than those of the controls (p less than 0.01).