Several countries, such as the United States, Mexico, and China, have neglected tropical diseases, or NTDs. These diseases include schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and Chagas disease. These diseases are also known as soil-transmitted helminths. These diseases are caused by the parasites found in soil.
Until recently, Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, was confined to Caribbean islands. However, it now affects millions of people worldwide. Chagas is a tropical parasitic disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It can be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and contaminated food. In the US, the disease affects over 300,000 people.
The disease can lead to a debilitating heart condition called chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy. It's most common in Central and South America, where more than half of all Chagas cases occur. People with the disease often experience debilitating heart failure and sudden death. A blood-screening test is important to detect Chagas in newborns, girls, and women of childbearing age. Treatment is recommended for adults with indeterminate diseases. Treatment may be effective in treating the disease when administered soon after infection.
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection caused by a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. The worms live in the mammalian circulatory system. They regurgitate waste products into the bloodstream, causing several serious long-term problems. They can also cause bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Fortunately, treatment is available for both acute and chronic infections. Infection is usually acquired through contact with infested water. The sudden onset of fever, abdominal tenderness, and nonproductive cough characterizes acute schistosomiasis. The disease is reversible once the worms are removed from the body. Symptoms tend to become more severe as the infection progresses. The disease can be fatal.
Infection can be prevented by avoiding water contact. In addition, people living in rural areas should be aware of the risk of infection when engaging in water-related activities. These include fishing, washing clothes in freshwater bodies, and car washing. Among the most common neglected tropical diseases, soil-transmitted helminth infections are endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and China. Helminth eggs characterize infections in the soil, which are then transmitted to humans via faeces.
The soil-transmitted helminths are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.4 billion people are infected with these diseases. Soil-transmitted helminth infections are a neglected tropical disease characterized by high infection rates in underserved communities worldwide. The prevalence of STH infection is influenced by a range of factors, from the region to the scale of the globe.
In the United States, poverty is one of the most common factors that increase the risk of STH infection. Historical patterns of immigration may also increase the risk of STHs in certain areas of the country. Often referred to as river blindness, onchocerciasis is a parasitic infection caused by the worm Onchocerca volvulus. It affects people living in tropical regions around the world. Most people infected with onchocerciasis do not experience serious symptoms. However, in some instances, onchocerciasis can lead to severe eye disease and skin disease.
Although onchocerciasis is no longer endemic, it is still an important health problem in many African countries. It is the second leading cause of preventable blindness after trachoma. It affects families and communities and is a major cause of economic loss. It has a complex life cycle that includes the development of filariae that live in subcutaneous tissues, which may migrate to the skin or eyes. These worms may live for 10 to 15 years in the body.
Despite their prevalence in low-resource settings, NTDs are often neglected. Their impacts include physical deformities and impairment, malnutrition, and social exclusion. They also impede early child development. They can also cause early death if left untreated—a recent report published by the WHO outlines the latest global response to neglected tropical diseases. The report highlights the successes of the global response to NTDs and the challenges that remain. It recommends filling knowledge gaps related to implementation, developing novel products and strategies, and increasing funding.
Moreover, the report points out the need to build on these successes and develop a renewed global response. This response will need to be funded through the end of the 2030s. It also must be shaped in light of new global health frameworks.
