Prevalence rate of hookworm infection among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital
(AKTH) Kano, Nigeria was determined between September and November 2009. The procedure
involved collecting and processing of stool samples in accordance with standard parasitological
techniques. Out of 577 samples collected and processed, 50 (8.7%) were positive for hookworm
infection with a peak in those subjects in the age group 21– 30 years (3.3%), followed by 51– 60
years (1.6%) and then 31 – 40 years (1.3%). No case of infection was detected among patients of
71 years and above. This study showed that the prevalence of infection was higher among females
(5.7%) than males (3.0%), and significant difference exists in the rate of infection between the
two sexes at P = 0.05. The above prevalence rate of infection could become higher in years to come
and therefore become more threatening due to increase in birth rate and other socio-economic
factors. Consequently, it is suggested that laying emphasis on personal and community hygiene can
be achieved through promoting health education in addition to early diagnosis and treatment of the
infection will go a long way in checking the spread of this infection in our community especially as
it causes maternal death.