<![CDATA[Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections continue to pose a significant public health challenge in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene. Understanding transmission pathways, host susceptibility, and associated risk factors is essential for explaining epidemiological patterns and designing effective control strategies. This article synthesizes current evidence on STH transmission pathways, host susceptibility, and associated environmental and behavioral risk factors based on epidemiological and immunological studies. STH transmission occurs through fecal–oral ingestion of infective eggs and percutaneous skin penetration by infective larvae in hookworm infections. Environmental contamination of soil and water, inadequate sanitation, and behaviors such as open defecation, walking barefoot, poor hand hygiene, and unsafe food handling increase exposure risk. Host susceptibility is influenced by age, immune regulation, nutritional status, genetic factors, and gut microbiota, resulting in heterogeneous infection intensity and clinical outcomes. Effective control of STH infections requires integrated approaches combining WASH interventions, health education, nutritional support, and regular deworming programs, while accounting for host biological variability to improve targeted prevention strategies.]]>
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