Ethical considerations
Study protocols were approved by ethics committees in Ecuador (Hospital Pedro Vicente Maldonado, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and Universidad Internacional del Ecuador) and UK (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine). The study is registered as an observational study (ISRCTN41239086). Informed written consent was obtained from the child’s mother and minor assent was obtained from the child at 8 years. Anthelmintic treatment was provided to mothers and children with positive stools for geohelminths as recommended.20