as other NTDs by affecting people living under conditions of poverty and is concentrated almost exclusively in impoverished populations in the developing world . Even when the disease had spread to the United States and other developed countries, it was contained and controlled by the well-equipped health systems in those areas. (8) Many NTDs can be controlled, prevented, and even eliminated using low-cost, effective, and feasible solutions. Understanding the economic burden of NTDs on productivity and health care costs can help to assure governments and donors that the resources directed toward NTDs represent a good investment. (9) Research and development efforts are immediately needed for all NTDs, especially those for which limited or no treatment currently exists. (10) Critical to developing robust NTD control strategies are epidemiological data that identify at-risk populations, ensure appropriate treatment frequency, and inform decisions about when treatment can be reduced or stopped. (11) Of the 14 most common NTDs, roughly 80 percent of infections are caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis. STH are a group of three parasitic worms (roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms) that afflict more than one billion people worldwide, including 600 million school-age children, of whom more than 300 million suffer from severe morbidity. Schistosomiasis is another helminth infection affecting at least 200 million people in developing countries, but some estimates indicate that the true number of people affected may be double or even triple that number. (12) The main health problems caused by STH are related to their negative effect on childhood nutritional status, which can cause stunting and wasting. For example, STH infection may lead to anemia, malabsorption of nutrients, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and reduced food intake. When such health problems are experienced in early childhood, a peak growth and development period, the mental and physical damage—and loss of