Question

People believed that hookworm had been eradicated from the U.S. It has returned and is associated with areas of high poverty. Given what you know about how hookworm enters the body, why would people in poverty be at risk of this parasite?

1) Fewer homes have intact window screens, allowing insect vectors to enter
2) Less access to electricity means that food may be undercooked
3) There is more use of chemicals, increasing snail populations
4) Children may not have access to shoes, and go barefoot

Answer 1

Children in areas of high poverty are at a higher risk of hookworm infection because they are more likely to go barefoot, allowing the larvae to enter through the skin.

Step-by-step explanation:

People living in poverty are at higher risk of hookworm infection because they often lack resources like proper footwear. Hookworm larvae enter the human body through the skin, often through the feet, which makes wearing shoes an important preventative measure. Factors such as fewer homes with intact window screens or less access to electricity do not directly contribute to hookworm infections since hookworms are not spread by insects or through undercooked food.

Instead, the direct soil-to-skin contact is the primary transmission route for hookworms. On the other hand, snail populations or chemical use are related to other parasitic diseases like schistosomiasis and not hookworm, which does not require an intermediate host like a snail for its lifecycle. Therefore, the correct answer is that children and individuals in poverty may go barefoot, putting them at risk of hookworm infection.