Don't Get Hooked! - A Story About How to Keep Yourself Healthy and Free of Parasitic Hookworms

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This is a story explaining the dangers associated with parasitic hookworms. 3.2 billion people worldwide are at risk for infection. The populations most effected are school aged children and women of reproductive age. This story portrays the dangers of hookworm infection to school aged children in a fun and easy to understand way.

These hookworms are soil-transmitted helminthes that gain entry into the body through the skin, most notably the feet. Once they gain entry to the host, they migrate to the small intestine. Often the infected host will harbor around 100 worms, where each worm can drink about 0.3 mLs of blood per day. This leads to anemia, malnutrition, and growth and cognitive delays. This is a major problem in tropical, subtropical and developing countries.

The goal of this children's book is to educate children who are at risk for contracting this parasite.