Smelly feet attractive for nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic worms. They are everywhere. Up to 40,000 species have been described. There may be as many as one million discrete species. Some live independently, others are parasitic. Some impact humans, penetrating broken skin and finding their way to the stomach. Infection can be asymptomatic. But it may bring gastrointestinal pain, malnourishment, cognitive impairment, or death for people who are immunosuppressed. Elissa Hallem is investigating infection pathways including their attraction to smelly feet!