Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of diseases of parasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal and non-communicable origin that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they mostly affect impoverished communities and disproportionately affect women and children. Currently, NTDs include Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease), echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, leprosy (Hansen’s disease), lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, onchocerciasis (river blindness), rabies, scabies and other ectoparasitoses, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, snakebite envenoming, taeniasis/cysticercosis, trachoma, and yaws and other endemic treponematoses. These diseases cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to more than one billion people, which remain a global public health concern. Schistosomiasis, which is second only to malaria in public health significance, is estimated to affect over 250 million people in 78 countries of the world and is responsible for some 280,000 deaths each year. Echinococcosis is estimated to have a global distribution with 2 to 3 million people affected and 200,000 new cases diagnosed annually, which causes annual costs of more than 5 billion USD.
Currently, the management of NTDs mainly depends on chemotherapy. However, the coverage of chemotherapy and potential drug resistance negatively affect the global elimination of NTDs. Although great strides have been made in the management of NTDs, there are still multiple challenges during the progress towards global elimination of NTDs. In 2021, the World Health Organization launched a new road map to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs by 2030. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic poses great challenges for global elimination of NTDs. Currently, the management of NTDs still depends on conventional tools, and development of innovative tools supporting disease elimination is urgently needed. New innovative approaches will provide insights into the understanding of the pathogenesis of NTDs, and emerging tools will provide novel options for the diagnosis and treatment of NTDs.
This issue aims to publish original research and review articles depicting the innovative tools being used to support global elimination of NTDs and facilitate the translation of these tools into disease-affected regions.
• Single-cell sequencing, gene editing and multi-omics analysis
• Mapping and disease burden of neglected tropical diseases
• Big data as a tool for neglected tropical diseases elimination
• Screening of novel ecological vector control approaches
• NGS and novel nuclear acid assays for rapid detection of neglected tropical diseases
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the management of neglected tropical diseases
• Network pharmacology and novel treatments for neglected tropical diseases elimination
• One Health approach as a response to challenges of neglected tropical diseases
• Vaccine development
• Drug resistance
• Other approaches
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of diseases of parasitic, bacterial, viral, fungal and non-communicable origin that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they mostly affect impoverished communities and disproportionately affect women and children. Currently, NTDs include Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease), echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, leprosy (Hansen’s disease), lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, onchocerciasis (river blindness), rabies, scabies and other ectoparasitoses, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, snakebite envenoming, taeniasis/cysticercosis, trachoma, and yaws and other endemic treponematoses. These diseases cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to more than one billion people, which remain a global public health concern. Schistosomiasis, which is second only to malaria in public health significance, is estimated to affect over 250 million people in 78 countries of the world and is responsible for some 280,000 deaths each year. Echinococcosis is estimated to have a global distribution with 2 to 3 million people affected and 200,000 new cases diagnosed annually, which causes annual costs of more than 5 billion USD.
Currently, the management of NTDs mainly depends on chemotherapy. However, the coverage of chemotherapy and potential drug resistance negatively affect the global elimination of NTDs. Although great strides have been made in the management of NTDs, there are still multiple challenges during the progress towards global elimination of NTDs. In 2021, the World Health Organization launched a new road map to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs by 2030. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic poses great challenges for global elimination of NTDs. Currently, the management of NTDs still depends on conventional tools, and development of innovative tools supporting disease elimination is urgently needed. New innovative approaches will provide insights into the understanding of the pathogenesis of NTDs, and emerging tools will provide novel options for the diagnosis and treatment of NTDs.
This issue aims to publish original research and review articles depicting the innovative tools being used to support global elimination of NTDs and facilitate the translation of these tools into disease-affected regions.
• Single-cell sequencing, gene editing and multi-omics analysis
• Mapping and disease burden of neglected tropical diseases
• Big data as a tool for neglected tropical diseases elimination
• Screening of novel ecological vector control approaches
• NGS and novel nuclear acid assays for rapid detection of neglected tropical diseases
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the management of neglected tropical diseases
• Network pharmacology and novel treatments for neglected tropical diseases elimination
• One Health approach as a response to challenges of neglected tropical diseases
• Vaccine development
• Drug resistance
• Other approaches
