Hand‐washing, subclinical infections, and growth: A longitudinal evaluation of an intervention in Nepali slums

Abstract

Reducing exposure to pathogens is an important global health priority. This study confirms the importance of hand-washing campaigns for reducing childhood morbidity. Yet our data suggest that promoting hand-washing is necessary but not sufficient to address chronic, subclinical infections. From a human biology standpoint, tackling the root causes of childhood infections is needed to address growth faltering in the context of highly contaminated slum environments.