01647nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653002400054653005700078653004000135100001300175700001200188700001400200245013700214856006600351300000900417490000600426520099500432022001401427       2023                            d  bMDPI AG10aInfectious Diseases10aPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational Health10aGeneral Immunology and Microbiology1 aAdams SH1 aEndy TP1 aLarsen DA00aUsing Google Trends to Estimate the Geographic Distribution of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in the United States from 2016 to 2021  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/8/4/212/pdf?version=1680520796  a1-110 v83 a<p>Soil-transmitted helminth infections are assumed to be uncommon in the US, despite numerous studies in the past few decades showing high burdens in Appalachia and the southern states. We assessed trends of interest in the Google search engine to gauge spatiotemporal patterns of potential soil-transmitted helminth transmission. We conducted a further ecological study comparing Google search trends to risk factors for soil-transmitted helminth transmission. Google search trends for terms related to soil-transmitted helminths were clustered in Appalachia and the south, with seasonal surges suggestive of endemic transmission for hookworm, roundworm (Ascaris), and threadworm. Furthermore, lower access to plumbing, increased septic tank use, and more rural environments were associated with increased soil-transmitted helminth-related Google search terms. Together, these results suggest that soil-transmitted helminthiasis remains endemic in parts of Appalachia and the south.</p>
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