More than 25% of the world’s population (greater than 1.5 billion people) face the burden of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, a species of intestinal parasite whose eggs develop in the soil before finding a new host. The main cause of this high infection rate is lack of access to adequate sanitation facilities (toilets) and the consequent contamination of the environment with human feaces. While universal access to adequate sanitation is one of the sustainable development goals, parasite burdens are still causing harm. Fortunately, deworming medicines are highly effective and safe. Researchers from Syracuse University, the World Health Organization, and SUNY Upstate measured the impact of deworming medicine during pregnancy on the subsequent risk of neonatal mortality and low birthweight. The study has been conducted on 95 Demographic Health Survey data collected on more than 800 000 births and the results are published on the current issue of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
