Elimination Of Tropical Diseases Research Articles

Factors associated with hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infections among school-aged children in Mayuge district, Uganda

BackgroundHookworm infection and schistosomiasis are two of sub-Saharan Africa's most common neglected tropical diseases. An annual mass drug administration (MDA) program against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), including hookworm, has been implemented in Mayuge district, Uganda, since 2003 to date. However, hookworm and schistosomiasis remain prevalent in Mayuge district. Understanding the factors that predispose children to these infections in the context of MDA could inform interventions to reduce prevalence in Uganda and similar settings.MethodThis cross-sectional study took place in 33 randomly selected primary schools in the Mayuge district from January to February 2022. Children in primary classes 4 or 5, in the selected schools provided single stool samples and completed questionnaires. Stool specimens were examined using the Kato-Katz method to determine the prevalence of hookworm and schistosomiasis. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression to assess the associations of each infection with potential risk factors.ResultA total of 1,617 students (mean age 12.1 years, 50.1% male) were enrolled. The prevalence of hookworm infection and schistosomiasis was 21.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 19.8–23.9%) and 18.7% (95% CI: 16.8–20.7%), respectively. In multivariable analysis, longer water fetching time (over 30 min versus less than 30 min) and working daily in the soil were associated with increased odds of hookworm infection (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13–1.96 and 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03–1.82, respectively). Higher odds of schistosomiasis were linked to proximity to water bodies within a one-hour walking distance (AOR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.35–2.50), and not always washing hands before eating (AOR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.50–2.67). Swimming, bathing, or washing in water bodies twice a week, compared to never, also increased schistosomiasis odds (AOR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.66–5.13).ConclusionConsistent with the mechanisms of acquisition, hookworm infection increased with exposure to soil, and schistosomiasis increased with exposure to unclean water. Our findings highlight the importance of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene programs and strategies aimed at reducing exposure within the framework of Neglected Tropical Disease elimination programs.

Leveraging resources and the impact of neglected tropical disease elimination programmes: getting (much) more than what you pay for

Partnerships have been key to significant progress in combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Collaboration between a range of partners, each bringing different skills and resources, helps reach more people in need with greater efficiency. Some partners have contributed in-kind donations, including drugs and volunteer time. When making resource allocation decisions donors need to consider the significant leverage their investment in NTD programmes can have. This commentary estimates the value of the leverage that the Ascend programme achieved. It is clear that funding from UK aid to Ascend delivered (much) more than what they paid for.

Neglected tropical disease elimination is a relay race - let's not drop the baton.

Neglected tropical disease elimination is a relay race - let's not drop the baton.

Factors Influencing the Sustainability of Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination Programs: A Multi-Case Study of the Kenya National Program for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis.

Elimination of a disease is the holy grail in global health. The pathology of several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as lymphatic filariasis (LF) makes elimination a reality. However, successful elimination requires that NTD programs be sustainable-the ability to confirm that the disease has been eliminated and the capacity to ensure that it does not return. The WHO's guidelines on NTDs thoroughly detail how to reach elimination. Notwithstanding, comprehensive guidance regarding contextual and programmatic factors that influence sustainability is lacking. Moreover, a comprehensive NTD sustainability framework that includes these factors is nonexistent. This research aimed to develop a framework that identified the critical programmatic and contextual factors influencing sustainability of NTD elimination programs. The methodology included a literature review and a multiple case study. The literature review had two objectives: the first was to identify unique attributes of NTD elimination programs that should be considered when planning for sustainability and the second was to identify an existing sustainability framework that could be adapted to NTD elimination programs. The literature review resulted in a draft sustainability framework that was then tested, using a multi-case study methodology, on the Kenya National Program for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis. The result is the first comprehensive NTD sustainability framework that identifies key contextual and programmatic factors that influence NTD sustainability. This framework is an invaluable resource for practitioners and policy makers alike as many countries start to eliminate NTDs.

Eradication genomics-lessons for parasite control.

Genomic surveillance could help achieve targets for the elimination of tropical diseases

The impact of climate change and population mobility on neglected tropical disease elimination

The impact of climate change and population mobility on neglected tropical disease elimination

Surveillance-response systems: the key to elimination of tropical diseases.

Tropical diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Although combined health efforts brought about significant improvements over the past 20 years, communities in resource-constrained settings lack the means of strengthening their environment in directions that would provide less favourable conditions for pathogens. Still, the impact of infectious diseases is declining worldwide along with progress made regarding responses to basic health problems and improving health services delivery to the most vulnerable populations. The London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), initiated by the World Health Organization’s NTD roadmap, set out the path towards control and eventual elimination of several tropical diseases by 2020, providing an impetus for local and regional disease elimination programmes. Tropical diseases are often patchy and erratic, and there are differing priorities in resources-limited and endemic countries at various levels of their public health systems. In order to identify and prioritize strategic research on elimination of tropical diseases, the ‘First Forum on Surveillance-Response System Leading to Tropical Diseases Elimination’ was convened in Shanghai in June 2012. Current strategies and the NTD roadmap were reviewed, followed by discussions on how to identify and critically examine prevailing challenges and opportunities, including inter-sectoral collaboration and approaches for elimination of several infectious, tropical diseases. A priority research agenda within a ‘One Health-One World’ frame of global health was developed, including (i) the establishment of a platform for resource-sharing and effective surveillance-response systems for Asia Pacific and Africa with an initial focus on elimination of lymphatic filariasis, malaria and schistosomiasis; (ii) development of new strategies, tools and approaches, such as improved diagnostics and antimalarial therapies; (iii) rigorous validation of surveillance-response systems; and (iv) designing pilot studies to transfer Chinese experiences of successful surveillance-response systems to endemic countries with limited resources.

Elimination of tropical disease through surveillance and response.

Surveillance and response represent the final crucial steps in achieving effective control and particularly elimination of communicable diseases as recognized in the area of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), applied in increasing numbers in endemic countries with ongoing control and elimination programmers. More and more national NTD elimination initiatives are scheduled based on the innovative and effective One world-One health perspective to detect pockets of transmission and disease reintroduction. Resource-constrained countries, which carry the heaviest NTD burdens, face various challenges how to strengthen the health system as well as developing effective and novel tools for surveillance and response tailored to local settings. Surveillance-response approaches take place in two different stages corralling the basic components of the surveillance-response system for NTD elimination. Six different research priorities have been identified:1)dynamic mapping of transmission, 2) near real-time capture of population dynamics, 3) modelling based on a minimum essential database/dataset, 4) implementation of mobile health (m-health) and sensitive diagnostics, 5) design of effective response packages tailored to different transmission settings and levels, and 6) validation of approaches and responses packages.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Tropical Medicine in the Fight against Plague, Death, Famine, and War

I want to thank Dr. Lance Gordon for his very generous introduction. I was especially thrilled that Lance was able to make introductory remarks this evening because he bridges two of the most important institutions in my professional life. Lance previously served on the Board of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, an extraordinary global health institution that I have been associated with for the last 12 years, and he recently began a new position with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Not only has the Gates Foundation generously supported our work on the human hookworm vaccine for the past decade, but in addition Gates, together with Sabin, has introduced me to some of my most important scientific mentors, including Drs. Philip K. Russell, Ciro de Quadros, Regina Rabinovich, and Jan Agosti. It is also through the Sabin Vaccine Institute that I met some other extraordinary individuals including H. R. Shepherd, the founding Sabin Board Chair who died this year at the age of 89; Ambassador Michael Marine, (Sabin CEO); Brian Davis (Sabin COO); Mrs. Heloisa Sabin; and the current Sabin Board Chair, Mort Hyman, who is a unique combination of mentor and friend. In 2011, we relocated the laboratories of the Sabin Vaccine Institute to Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) in Houston to become the first product development partnership (PDP) embedded in an academic health center.1 This association came about through the visions of Dr. Mark Kline, the TCH Physician-in-Chief (an impressive global health advocate who created BIPAI, the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative), and Mark Wallace the TCH Chief Executive Officer. Simultaneously under the leadership of Dr. Paul Klotman, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) President and CEO (also an ardent advocate and champion of global health), we have established a unique National School of Tropical Medicine to train a new generation of healthcare professionals in this area.2 Our tropical medicine clinic at the Ben Taub General Hospital (also linked with BCM) has opened and already we are seeing patients with Chagas disease, cysticercosis, and elephantiasis. We believe that we have uncovered a hidden burden of neglected tropical diseases in Texas!3 This year's annual meeting in Philadelphia has been extraordinary for a number of reasons. This afternoon, I learned from Karen Goraleski (American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene [ASTMH] Executive Director) that we have broken all meeting attendance records to date. I want to use this opportunity to thank Karen for her extraordinary leadership in her first year with ASTMH, as well as the hard work of Judy DeAcetis and the rest of the Sherwood staff. The coming year will be an exciting one with Dr. James Kazura as your new President. I hope to use this evening's ASTMH Presidential Address to highlight three important elements of tropical medicine that our Society must consider as we enter the second decade of this new century. First, I will address important aspects of tropical diseases that go beyond their health impact and examine tropical infections in a larger context of their economic and geopolitical effects. Second, given this level of global importance I want to call on the tropical disease community to consider a broad and “audacious” goal to eliminate the tropical infections affecting the world's poor. Finally, I hope to highlight a new opportunity we have to address tropical disease elimination goals as a means to implement international science diplomacy.