Hookworm Vaccine

Hookworm vaccine is a vaccine against hookworm, though no effective vaccine for the disease in humans has yet been developed. Hookworms are parasitic nematodes transmitted through soil that infect approximately 700 million people, particularly in tropical regions where the endemic species Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus are common; because hookworms feed on blood, those infected may develop chronic anemia and malnutrition. Helminth infection can be treated effectively with benzimidazole drugs such as mebendazole or albendazole, and the World Health Organization has promoted one to three yearly deworming doses in schools because the heaviest hookworm infections are most common among school-age children, but these drugs only eliminate existing adult parasites, reinfection can occur soon after treatment, school-based deworming does not reach adults or pre-school children, and there is concern about drug resistance developing against the commonly used treatments. Hookworm infection is considered a neglected disease because it disproportionately affects poorer communities and has received little attention from pharmaceutical companies, which is why a more permanent vaccine-based solution is sought.