Malnutrition
Type: Symptom
Definition
A deficiency in essential nutrients resulting from the parasite competing for the host's food.
Clinical Details
Adult worms residing in the jejunum feed on the host's partially digested food, actively stealing vital macronutrients and vitamins. The constant mucosal irritation also decreases the host's absorptive efficiency and frequently induces anorexia. In developing children, this chronic nutrient theft leads to severe growth stunting and cognitive deficits.