About this Research Topic
Control of most neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) relies heavily on drug treatment via either preventive chemotherapy (PC) targeted at risk populations (e.g., mass drug administration against onchocerciasis) or intensified disease management (IDM) targeted at individual cases (e.g., treatment of visceral leishmaniasis) or contacts of known cases (e.g., single-dose rifampicine for household members of known leprosy cases). As such, emergence and spread of drug resistance may pose a serious threat to the success of NTD control programs. To realize the ambition of controlling NTDs by 2030 and scaling down treatment programmes, transmission of NTDs will have to be strongly suppressed or even interrupted through a combination of drug treatment and more structural interventions targeting behavior and environmental conditions. Therefore, NTD research and policy communities must be prepared for potential emergence of resistance, balance the risk of emergence versus the achievement of short-term control, identify and localize resistance as soon as possible, and implement appropriate strategies to mitigate its consequences.
The goal of this research topic is to collate the latest research and insights into the risk of emergence and management of drug resistance in NTDs, with a strong focus on implications for policy and practice. Of particular interest are the risks of drug resistance or changes in drug efficacy associated with current NTD control strategies, which have been implemented for up to decades now, as well as risks associated with potential changes in the current control strategies which have been or are being trialed (e.g., administering preventive chemotherapy at a higher frequency and/or to a broader target population).
The research topic is open to contributions that cover:
- Commonalities and differences between NTDs with regard to the risk of drug resistance and strategies to identify and manage it
- Identification and management of the most high-risk contexts for emergence of resistance
- Synthesis of evidence for existing drug resistance
- Methods to quantify drug efficacy and resistance + recommendations
- Strategies to mitigate drug efficacy and resistance + recommendations
- The genetic basis of drug resistance in micro- and macroparasitic NTDs
The scope does not include insecticide resistance in the context of vector control.
For this research topic we welcome original research, reviews (systematic, mini, policy and practice), clinical trials, data reports and policy briefs.
The goal of this research topic is to collate the latest research and insights into the risk of emergence and management of drug resistance in NTDs, with a strong focus on implications for policy and practice. Of particular interest are the risks of drug resistance or changes in drug efficacy associated with current NTD control strategies, which have been implemented for up to decades now, as well as risks associated with potential changes in the current control strategies which have been or are being trialed (e.g., administering preventive chemotherapy at a higher frequency and/or to a broader target population).
The research topic is open to contributions that cover:
- Commonalities and differences between NTDs with regard to the risk of drug resistance and strategies to identify and manage it
- Identification and management of the most high-risk contexts for emergence of resistance
- Synthesis of evidence for existing drug resistance
- Methods to quantify drug efficacy and resistance + recommendations
- Strategies to mitigate drug efficacy and resistance + recommendations
- The genetic basis of drug resistance in micro- and macroparasitic NTDs
The scope does not include insecticide resistance in the context of vector control.
For this research topic we welcome original research, reviews (systematic, mini, policy and practice), clinical trials, data reports and policy briefs.
Keywords: drug resistance, drug efficacy, preventive chemotherapy, intensified disease management, prophylaxis, treatment, mass treatment, genetics, single nucleotide polymorphisms, monogenic resistance, polygenic resistance, evolution of resistance
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
