How is hookworm primarily transmitted?

Hookworm is primarily transmitted through skin penetration by larvae. The life cycle of hookworms involves the larvae developing in the soil after eggs, deposited in feces, hatch. These larvae are photogenic and can thrive in warm, moist environments. When a person walks barefoot on contaminated soil, the larvae penetrate the skin, usually through the feet. Once inside the body, they migrate through the bloodstream to the lungs, are coughed up and swallowed, and eventually settle in the intestines where they mature into adult worms.

This transmission route highlights the importance of preventive measures such as wearing shoes in areas where hookworm is endemic and practicing good sanitation and hygiene. Other potential routes of transmission, such as through contaminated food or waterborne sources, do not apply to hookworm, as its life cycle does not involve these mechanisms, nor does it involve the inhalation of eggs. This specificity makes skin penetration by larvae the primary and most effective means of transmission for hookworm infection.