What type of organism typically enters the body from soil through a break in the skin and can lead to iron deficiency anemia?

Hookworms are a type of parasitic worm that commonly enter the body through the skin, often when a person walks barefoot on contaminated soil. Once inside, hookworms can migrate through the bloodstream to the lungs, and then to the intestines, where they attach to the intestinal wall and feed on blood. This feeding can lead to significant blood loss, which in turn may cause iron deficiency anemia. The hookworms have specialized mouthparts that enable them to latch onto the intestinal lining, making them particularly adept at causing bleeding.

In contrast, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms enter the body through different routes or have different life cycles that do not commonly result in iron deficiency anemia to the same extent as hookworms. For instance, roundworms typically spread through ingestion of eggs, tapeworms are usually acquired from undercooked meat, and whipworms have a different attachment and feeding mechanism that is less associated with significant blood loss. Therefore, the unique life cycle and feeding habits of hookworms make them the correct answer, as they are directly linked to the process that can lead to iron deficiency anemia due to blood loss.