Hookworm.

The sixth in a 10-part series investigating diseases from around the globe. Each programme features a single disease and looks at attempts to develop treatments that are effective and affordable to the world's poor who make up the majority of the victims. This part features Hookworm, the most prevalent of parasitic infections; it is estimated that a third of the world's population has some form of helminth infection. We visit Vietnam where problems with helminth infections are common. The devastating effects of hookworm infestation on members of a village community are shown. Unicef are attempting to establish an extensive sanitation project and the World Health Organisation now undertakes a mass distribution of de-worming pills to schools on a regular basis but many people in the community don't benefit from this. Professor Hotez is working on an anti-parasitic vaccine, a vaccine against hookworm.