Neglected infectious diseases in the geriatrics

Abstract

Infectious diseases in the elderly population pose a significant threat to their lives. Neglected tropical diseases significantly impact the health of the affected patients and populations at risk. Reports show that many of these disorders are among the highest ten most typical causes of disability-adjusted life years. In the present literature review, we have discussed the most common neglected tropical infections in geriatrics based on data from the current studies in the literature. Different infections can affect the geriatric population. However, evidence shows that this population is susceptible to developing severe disease-related conditions. This has been reported with dengue infection, onchocerciasis, and cholera. It has been demonstrated that ocular lesions and other clinical manifestations are highest among the elderly population with onchocerciasis. Severe dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever are also reported at a high rate in this age group. Concurrent infections and disorders were documented with many of these infections, probably due to reduced immunity. Socioeconomic factors, co-morbidities, access to healthcare settings, environmental factors, sanitation, clustering, and overcrowding contribute to the frequency of neglected tropical diseases in the elderly. Further studies are still needed because the current report is scarce, which might underestimate the current evidence.