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The US Thought It Was Rid of Hookworm. Wrong

  • September 16, 2017

As a nation labeled one of the richest in the world, you wouldn’t think the U.S. would be dealing with diseases connected to extreme poverty but, unfortunately, such is not the case. Hookworm, which spreads when an infected person defecates outside, is alive and well in America, specifically in Alabama, where 19 of 55 individuals tested positive for the worm. As reported by NPR, the area where the disease was discovered is one of the poorest in the nation, and many residents lack proper sewage systems.

One of the symptoms of hookworm infection can be diarrhea, an affliction that seems to be hitting wealthier countries more and more lately. Overuse of antibiotics, increasing consumption of sugar and a focus on antibacterial wipes may be contributing to these problems, as your digestive system is sensitive to these factors.

But aside from sewage and sanitation worries, contaminated drinking water can also be a cause of diarrhea — a fact that concerns countries around the world, as the World Health Organization says nearly 2 billion people are drinking water contaminated with feces in both developing nations and rich countries like the U.S. Agriculture runoff, accidents and improper disposal of drugs also contaminate waterways everywhere.

For this reason, filtering your water at home is no longer an option, but a necessity to reduce your exposure to water treatment chemicals, pesticides, medications and carcinogenic metals. One of the best types of filters I've found uses a three-stage filtration process — a micron sediment pre-filter, a KDF water filter and a high-grade carbon water filter. This combination filters chlorine, disinfection byproducts and many other contaminants.