A 60-year-old man with a history of recent travel to the tropics develops fever and eosinophilia (4.5 × 10⁹/L). He is otherwise well. Stool

Question

A 60-year-old man with a history of recent travel to the tropics develops fever and eosinophilia (4.5 × 10⁹/L). He is otherwise well. Stool examination shows hookworm eggs (thin-shelled, oval, 60 × 40 µm). Which hookworm species cannot be distinguished by egg morphology alone?

Accepted Answer

Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus — their eggs are morphologically identical; species identification requires larval culture (Harada-Mori or charcoal culture method)

Answer

Egg colour distinguishes the two species

Answer

Ancylostoma has much larger eggs than Necator

Answer

All hookworm species have distinctive eggs

Answer

Only PCR can identify hookworm species

Hookworm Egg Morphology — SCE Infectious Diseases MCQ

A 60-year-old man with a history of recent travel to the tropics develops fever and eosinophilia (4.5 × 10⁹/L). He is otherwise well. Stool examination shows hookworm eggs (thin-shelled, oval, 60 × 40 µm). Which hookworm species cannot be distinguished by egg morphology alone?