It is well known that the Southeast Asia region and tropical Oceania including Northern Australia regions have a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections, such as roundworm, whipworm, and hookworms. Recent molecular testing studies and reports have indicated that A. ceylanicum, a zoonotic hookworm, has a high prevalence of human infection in these regions. High prevalence rates of A. ceylanicum is well documented in domestic, stray, and community-raised dogs and cats in the Northern Australian region but human infection has been mostly overlooked and under reported.
Due to the potential for enteric infection by this parasite in humans through percutaneous penetration as well as the faecal-oral route, studies have indicated it has become an emerging public health risk not only for indigenous people but also for visitors to the regions.
An overview of human A. ceylanicum infections in particular in Northern Australia including a case history, methods of diagnosis, identification and clinical significance will be presented.