Which demographic is particularly at risk for helminthic infections?

Children in impoverished conditions due to poor sanitation are particularly at risk for helminthic infections because these infections are often linked to socioeconomic factors that lead to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities. In environments where hygiene practices are lacking, it is easier for parasitic worms (helminths) to spread and infect individuals, particularly among children whose immune systems may not yet be fully developed and who often play in contaminated areas.

In contrast, adults living in urban areas may have better access to healthcare and sanitation, potentially reducing their risk. School teachers are not inherently at greater risk compared to children; they may even be in a position to promote hygiene practices in the classroom. Lastly, elderly individuals, despite having strong immune systems, are often more susceptible to infections in general due to age-related decline in immune function, but the connection to helminthic infections is more closely associated with conditions of poverty and sanitation than with immune status alone.