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