Random statements that make a bigger picture. To the best of my understanding. Diseases like hookworm and tetanus also thrive in warmer, moister soils. You're more likely to encounter them in the Southern U.S. Hookworm (and I think roundworm too) are relatively asymptomatic. You're not gonna go to the doctor if you don't think anything is wrong. Additionally, if you get the inkling that something might be wrong, but don't have anything concrete, there's not much of a chance the doctor is gonna nail your problem on the first shot. Speaking of doctors, I don't even wanna ask how much a fecal test or a blood test is without good insurance. Lord knows even with good insurance it's a butt ton. Ditto on any follow up treatment if it's determined that someone does have worms. Good health hygiene seems to be a rare thing in general. The number of people I know that don't wash their hands before eating kind of astonishes me. I know two people who do walk barefoot everywhere they go and I have told them "That's literally a way to catch worms" and they don't care. From what I understand, health education is getting to be pretty thin these days and that's not just sex education. Worms are normal and treatable as shit. There's a stigma attached to worms though. There's a good chance that someone reading this has run into at least one person who has contracted and been treated for a worm of some sort or another. No that they'll ever know, cause seriously, if you ever caught some, would you ever bring that up in normal conversation?
I like going barefoot a lot. Maybe I ought to get some moccasins so I can feel the ground but still be shod. But I'll still run around barefoot on nice days though. It's not so risky here 'cause there isn't open sewage around me. Anyway, shoes won't cut it for those people, if a storm can turn the trailer park into a swamp and mix the sewage around. Everyone needs waders (or actual sewers).I know two people who do walk barefoot everywhere they go and I have told them "That's literally a way to catch worms" and they don't care.
I totally agree with you here. The conditions the people in the article are living in are awful and need to be fixed ASAP. Though if I had to guess, those were probably on the extreme. What I was trying to illustrate though, was that worms are a bit more nuanced than open sewage. If I were a betting man though (and I'm not, but oh man if I put money on the Packers V. Steelers Superbowl, Mayweather v. Pacquiao Fight, and a few other sports events, I'd have a day), I'd say that most cases of worms in the United States just happen because of poor health care practices, both in parts of individuals' lack of knowledge/concern as well as because of how the medical industry is set up. Edit: Also, mocassins sound awesome. I've seen these shoes shaped like feet and asked someone about them and they said they were comfortable as heck.Anyway, shoes won't cut it for those people, if a storm can turn the trailer park into a swamp and mix the sewage around. Everyone needs waders (or actual sewers).
I don't think worms are much more nuanced than sanitation -- I think even with good health care practices a number cases would happen, given their living conditions. The abstract linked in the article says Lowndes County was chosen specifically because of previous hookworm problems, high poverty, and bad sewage management. My takeaway was that we have people in our country living with 3rd world sewage sanitation, and 1/3 of the people tested have hookworm because of it. I agree with your points, I just wanted to defend going barefoot a bit.