Infectious diseases remain a major threat to the development of Africa which has the highest communicable disease burden in the world, resulting in an estimated 10 million human deaths and over $800 billion of GDP loss annually in this continent. West Africa is composed of the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo as well as Saint Helena, and has about 30 percent out of the population in Africa which is currently still increasing quickly. In contrast, as one of the most underdeveloped regions worldwide, the majority of these areas are categorized as the counties with the lowest human development index.
The fast urbanizing resulted from the quick population growth, and the resource limitation because of the relatively lower development level, combined with multifactorial reasons such as ecosystem alteration raised by climate change, trade integration, and the exposure of humans and livestock to wildlife and disease vectors due to expansion of agricultural activities, accelerate the emergence of novel infectious disease, the re-emergence of previous ones thought to have been eliminated, and the spreading of endemic diseases such as infection of HIV and HBV, TB, and malaria across West Africa. On the other hand, the pandemic of CoVID-19 awakes people around the world by emphasizing the importance of the capacity and independence of local disease management.
In light of the aforementioned considerations, this Research Topic invites Original/Review/Minireview/Perspective/Opinion articles addressing desperately needed knowledge on pathogenic microorganisms in West Africa from scientists all around the world, especially in local institutions. Papers related to, but not limited to, the following aspects in West Africa are encouraged and all within the scope.
1. Molecular/serological epidemiology of viral/bacterial/fungal/protistic pathogens providing basic background information on the diseases
2. Molecular phylogenetics/geophylogenies of emerging/re-emerging/endemic/neglected pathogenic microbes, related to defining new phylogenetic groups or pathogen tracing.
3. Modeling/estimation of the risk of infectious disease pattern
4. Specific-/pan- review of microbes causing infectious diseases
5. Coevolution/adaption of pathogens with host
6. Evaluation and application of therapeutics/diagnostics/vaccines on pathogens/variants specific to West Africa.
Infectious diseases remain a major threat to the development of Africa which has the highest communicable disease burden in the world, resulting in an estimated 10 million human deaths and over $800 billion of GDP loss annually in this continent. West Africa is composed of the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo as well as Saint Helena, and has about 30 percent out of the population in Africa which is currently still increasing quickly. In contrast, as one of the most underdeveloped regions worldwide, the majority of these areas are categorized as the counties with the lowest human development index.
The fast urbanizing resulted from the quick population growth, and the resource limitation because of the relatively lower development level, combined with multifactorial reasons such as ecosystem alteration raised by climate change, trade integration, and the exposure of humans and livestock to wildlife and disease vectors due to expansion of agricultural activities, accelerate the emergence of novel infectious disease, the re-emergence of previous ones thought to have been eliminated, and the spreading of endemic diseases such as infection of HIV and HBV, TB, and malaria across West Africa. On the other hand, the pandemic of CoVID-19 awakes people around the world by emphasizing the importance of the capacity and independence of local disease management.
In light of the aforementioned considerations, this Research Topic invites Original/Review/Minireview/Perspective/Opinion articles addressing desperately needed knowledge on pathogenic microorganisms in West Africa from scientists all around the world, especially in local institutions. Papers related to, but not limited to, the following aspects in West Africa are encouraged and all within the scope.
1. Molecular/serological epidemiology of viral/bacterial/fungal/protistic pathogens providing basic background information on the diseases
2. Molecular phylogenetics/geophylogenies of emerging/re-emerging/endemic/neglected pathogenic microbes, related to defining new phylogenetic groups or pathogen tracing.
3. Modeling/estimation of the risk of infectious disease pattern
4. Specific-/pan- review of microbes causing infectious diseases
5. Coevolution/adaption of pathogens with host
6. Evaluation and application of therapeutics/diagnostics/vaccines on pathogens/variants specific to West Africa.