I am doing an ecological research paper on the prevalence of ascariasis and its correlation with urban factors such as urban heat islands. I want to know if the factor alone would bring about ascariasis even at good sanitary conditions.
The urban heat island effect is caused by (1) the relative absence of moisture-containing soil and vegetation and (2) waste heat from concentrated energy consumption. These are attributes of modern (i.e.built up and paved) high-density population centers. Ascariasis is acquired from soil, and there is much less opportunity for people to contact soil in modern urban areas. So it would seem that the incidence rate of ascariasis would be less in modern urban areas than in undeveloped population centers.