Helminth Transmission in Simple Pit Latrines

This short communication by Baker and Ensink (2012), published in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene summarises the findings of a study exploring the presence of helminth eggs in simple pit latrines in Tanzania. Simple pit latrines often represent the cheapest form of sanitation for poor communities. However, they lack a concrete slab and are therefore classified by the JMP as an unimproved form of sanitation. The study found that 71% of all collected soil samples were positive for eggs and that the only factor associated with lower egg concentrations was the absence of a roof from the latrine. This therefore supports the JMP;s classification of simple pit latrines as an unimproved form of sanitation.