The proliferation of hookworms and the need for sanitation systems |
| In poverty-stricken regions with warm and moist climates and poor sanitation systems, hookworms are alive and well, affecting 740 million people globally. While hookworms were believed to be eradicated in the U.S. decades ago, a new study determined a community of people in Alabama is infected with hookworms. A recent National Public Radio story on this topic explains that hookworms are spread through open defecation, or exposure to contaminated soil and flood waters. Hookworms are contracted when a person walks barefoot on soil contaminated with hookworms or comes in contact with the hookworms in flood waters. The microscopic worms enter the body through a hair follicle and eventually reach the small intestine to feed on blood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says treatment to clear out hookworms in the U.S. is possible with one dose of albendazole. However, in other countries, treatment is only a temporary fix due to a greater need for safe sanitation systems. This persistent health problem underscores the need for access to safe, sustainable sanitation systems in the U.S. and worldwide. The International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC) addresses the best practices and technologies to ensure the safety and welfare of communities, individuals and businesses that utilize their own on-site wastewater solutions. Currently adopted within 17 states and by 102 jurisdictions, the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico, as well as in Abu Dhabi, the IPSDC is quickly becoming the primary resource for communities that wish to implement safe, affordable private sewage disposal solutions. |