Neglected Global Diseases (NGDs) are infectious diseases and other conditions that cause physical and cognitive impairments, contribute to mother and child illness and death, and make it difficult to earn a living, thereby disproportionately affecting the world’s poorest populations. They include maternal, infant and child health conditions, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as well as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a list of 20 NTDs that, combined, cause substantial illness for more than one billion people globally. These diseases thrive in conditions of extreme poverty; areas that generally have unsafe water, poor sanitation, substandard housing, and limited access to health care or essential medicines. In some countries this includes most rural areas, urban slums, or conflict zones, however, it is increasingly recognized that emerging middle-income countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) contain the highest numbers of people affected.
NGDs impact daily life for many . In countries with weak health and social support systems, they cripple families and contribute to the harsh cycle of poverty. While some NTDs are fatal without treatment, most of them are debilitating and stigmatizing. Children are particularly vulnerable. Overall, NGDs cause great suffering and are a leading cause of chronic disability, diminished quality of life, and premature death. Despite their impact, funding for NTDs research and treatment pales in comparison to “developed-world impacted or supported diseases.”
Unfortunately, particularly in the past 20 years, the development of novel pharmacological targets and new interventions based on these targets to treat NGDs has been limited. However, in recent years there has been a resurgence of research in these areas from low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) researchers themselves. The purpose of this Research Topic, unlike similar Research Topics in this area, is to highlight the novel work of LMIC researchers in developing new targets and interventions to treat NGDs.
We welcome authors particularly from LMICs and institutions, to contribute Original Research and/or Review or Opinion articles that highlight potentially novel pharmacological targets and new therapeutics or interventions to treat NGDs.
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