The previous occurrence and endemicity of tropical diseases, particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America and even in some areas of North America and Europe due to climate change, migration and other factors, as has occurred with malaria and arboviral diseases, poses a scenario of overlapping with the progressive circulation of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) since December 2019. With the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 in areas endemic for tropical pathogens during the midst of regional epidemics, the occurrence and detection of multiple types of coinfections are anticipated. As has been seen with other diseases, communicable and non-communicable, the comorbidity and coinfections may represent a risk factor for worsening or modifying the evolution to severe and fatal COVID-19 as was already seen with diabetes, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, among other conditions under study.
Likewise, the policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic by governments has been marked by significant reductions and increased inequalities in access to health care worldwide. The impact of these policies on the prevention, epidemiology, surveillance and treatment of tropical diseases is, however, little known. There is also little known regarding how COVID-19 policies may have affected the major global disease control programs targeting key diseases, such as malaria, TB, HIV, and the Neglected Tropical Diseases. Greater understanding of these impacts will provide important insights into the transmission of these diseases, and prospects for their control. It will also provide insights into the transmission dynamics and health outcomes from the pandemic.
This Research Topic invites articles that span the epidemiology, clinical, diagnostic and management aspects of any tropical disease coinfection with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 health policies carried out by country governments for the prevention, transmission, surveillance, and treatment of tropical diseases.
The previous occurrence and endemicity of tropical diseases, particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America and even in some areas of North America and Europe due to climate change, migration and other factors, as has occurred with malaria and arboviral diseases, poses a scenario of overlapping with the progressive circulation of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) since December 2019. With the spreading of SARS-CoV-2 in areas endemic for tropical pathogens during the midst of regional epidemics, the occurrence and detection of multiple types of coinfections are anticipated. As has been seen with other diseases, communicable and non-communicable, the comorbidity and coinfections may represent a risk factor for worsening or modifying the evolution to severe and fatal COVID-19 as was already seen with diabetes, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, among other conditions under study.
Likewise, the policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic by governments has been marked by significant reductions and increased inequalities in access to health care worldwide. The impact of these policies on the prevention, epidemiology, surveillance and treatment of tropical diseases is, however, little known. There is also little known regarding how COVID-19 policies may have affected the major global disease control programs targeting key diseases, such as malaria, TB, HIV, and the Neglected Tropical Diseases. Greater understanding of these impacts will provide important insights into the transmission of these diseases, and prospects for their control. It will also provide insights into the transmission dynamics and health outcomes from the pandemic.
This Research Topic invites articles that span the epidemiology, clinical, diagnostic and management aspects of any tropical disease coinfection with SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 health policies carried out by country governments for the prevention, transmission, surveillance, and treatment of tropical diseases.