# Changing the Landscape of Soil Transmitted Helminth Infections in India Using a One Health Approach

> **NIH AI U01** · CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE · 2026 · $76,988

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Soil transmitted helminths (STH) - hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus),
Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura - are among the most widespread neglected tropical diseases
(NTD) of humans worldwide, disproportionately affecting the poorest and most vulnerable communities. In
rural, populations, intensive animal-human mixing with livestock and companion animals combined with poor
hygiene and sanitation can lead to transmission of zoonotic infections as well as result in zoonotic sources
of infection. It is estimated that 30% of households globally have domestic livestock animals, with south and
southeast Asia and Africa contributing the largest proportion. These regions also have the highest burden of
STH globally. Most epidemiological surveys and mathematical models of STH do not account for or measure
the risk of infections acquired from zoonotic sources, either by direct contact with animals or animal feces or
indirectly from the environment. The inability to interrupt transmission due to presence of zoonotic and
environmental reservoirs of infection may prolong mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns and result in
emergence of anthelmintic resistance.
 The overarching goal of this multi-disciplinary collaborative application is to use a One Health
framework to examine the interconnected burden and transmission patterns between human, animal and
environmental reservoirs of STH by integrating carefully collected epidemiological, environmental and
qualitative research data with state-of-art molecular techniques to better inform monitoring and elimination
strategies in endemic communities. We will leverage an ongoing randomized controlled trial on community
wide MDA and an upcoming One Health project in two eco-epidemiologically and culturally distinct
geographic regions of India (Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya) to: (1) comprehensively investigate the
transmission dynamics of different STH species at individual, household and com

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11466652
- **Project number:** 3U01AI168611-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Sitara Swarna Rao Ajjampur; Rajiv  Sarkar
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AI
- **Fiscal year:** 2026
- **Award amount:** $76,988
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-03-20T00:00:00 → 2027-02-28T00:00:00

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11466652

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11466652, Changing the Landscape of Soil Transmitted Helminth Infections in India Using a One Health Approach (3U01AI168611-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11466652. Licensed CC0.

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