This is the mouth part of the hookworm Ancyclostoma duodenale. The
hookworm uses sharp, curved cutting plates to
attach to the lining of the intestine where it sucks blood for
nourishment. (Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.)
Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, PHD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical
School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease,
Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD,
MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
