Overview on Ascariasis in Humans in South Asia

Abstract

Ascaris lumbricoides, a member of the soil-transmitted helminths, infects a staggering 800 million people yearly [1, 2]. It is hard to fully comprehend the worldwide impact of this nematode, but Dr. Peter Hotez, an acknowledged expert on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), described it best as “the most important disease you have never heard of” [3]. Despite these high numbers, it is still classified as a neglected tropical disease [1, 2]. Neglected tropical diseases affect poor communities disproportionately but are often forgotten when it comes to resources and research funding [4]. Many research questions therefore remain unanswered, such as, why are children disproportionately infected? What is the role of host genetics in predisposition? What is the true degree of cognitive impairment suffered by children because of A. lumbricoides? What is the immune response against Ascaris?