Helminth Elimination in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals: A "Worm Index" for Human Development

Increasing evidence links the major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) to a significant adverse impact on both human and economic development, especially for the major helminth infections, i.e., hookworm and the intestinal helminth infections, schistosomiasis and lymphatic filariasis. Given these links in vulnerable and excluded populations, in the coming months and years it may become essential to give consideration to eliminating helminth infections as a means to achieve UN sustainable development goals.