Who Neglects Neglected Tropical Diseases? - Korean Perspective.
Authors: Choi MH, Yu JR, Hong ST
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of tropical infectious diseases of poorest people. Of 17 NTDs managed by WHO, two, guinea worm disease (by 2015) and yaws (by 2020) are targeted for eradication, and four (blinding trachoma, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, and lymphatic filariasis) for elimination by 2020. The goals look promising but 11 others are still highly prevalent. Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are one NTD which prevail over the world including temperate zones. They had been highly prevalent in Korea but are mostly disappearing at pr...
Source: Journal of Korean Medical Science - December 1, 2015 Category: Biomedical Science Tags: J Korean Med Sci Source Type: research
A Retrospective Study on Genetic Heterogeneity within Treponema Strains: Subpopulations Are Genetically Distinct in a Limited Number of Positions
Conclusions/Significance Heterogeneous sites likely represent both the selection of adaptive changes during infection of the host as well as an ongoing diversifying evolutionary process. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - October 5, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Darina Čejková et al. Source Type: research
[Review] Challenges and key research questions for yaws eradication
Yaws is endemic in west Africa, southeast Asia, and the Pacific region. To eradicate yaws by 2020, WHO has launched a campaign of mass treatment with azithromycin. Progress has been made towards achievement of this ambitious goal, including the validation of point-of-care and molecular diagnostic tests and piloting of the strategy in several countries, including Ghana, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea. Gaps in knowledge need to be addressed to allow refinement of the eradication strategy. Studies exploring determinants of the spatial distribution of yaws are needed to help with the completion of baseline mapping. (Source: The...
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - September 8, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Michael Marks, Oriol Mitjà, Lasse S Vestergaard, Allan Pillay, Sascha Knauf, Cheng-Yen Chen, Quique Bassat, Diana L Martin, David Fegan, Fasihah Taleo, Jacob Kool, Sheila Lukehart, Paul M Emerson, Anthony W Solomon, Tun Ye, Ronald C Ballard, David C W Ma Tags: Review Source Type: research
The Snark and the Skin
Jack London, the American journalist and adventure writer, died at age 40 in 1916 at the height of his popularity from “uraemia following renal colic” due to chronic interstitial nephritis. He was known for his novels, notably those set during the Alaskan gold rush, Call of the Wild and White Fang, and for his adventure stories. In The Cruise of the Snark, London recounted his 1907-1908 voyage across the Pacific; the book is laden with observations of indigenous populations, with frequent mention of their skin diseases. While in the Solomon Islands, London observed, “[islanders] are afflicted with every form of malig...
Source: JAMA Dermatology - September 1, 2015 Category: Dermatology Source Type: research
Pinta: Latin America's Forgotten Disease?
Abstract
Pinta is a neglected, chronic skin disease that was first described in the sixteenth century in Mexico. The World Health Organization lists 15 countries in Latin America where pinta was previously endemic. However, the current prevalence of pinta is unknown due to the lack of surveillance data. The etiological agent of pinta, Treponema carateum, cannot be distinguished morphologically or serologically from the not-yet-cultivable Treponema pallidum subspecies that cause venereal syphilis, yaws, and bejel. Although genomic sequencing has enabled the development of molecular techniques to differentia...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - August 24, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Stamm LV Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research
Tropical leg ulcers in children: more than yaws.
Abstract
The management of yaws has changed in recent years. Mass treatment with oral azithromycin has replaced intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin. Treponemal and non-treponemal serology (equivalent to TPHA and RPR) point-of-care blood testing is now available. In addition, recent studies in yaws endemic regions have shown that a significant number of leg ulcers in children which are clinically suggestive of yaws are caused by Haemophilus ducreyi. It is noteworthy that the World Health Organization has also set the ambitious goal to eliminate yaws by 2020.
PMID: 26289420 [PubMed - as supplie...
Source: Tropical Doctor - August 19, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Fegan D, Glennon MJ, Kool J, Taleo F Tags: Trop Doct Source Type: research
Impact of Community Mass Treatment with Azithromycin for Trachoma Elimination on the Prevalence of Yaws
We examined children aged 5-14 years and took blood and lesion samples for yaws diagnosis. Results We recruited 897 children, 6 months after mass treatment. There were no cases of active yaws. Serological evidence of current infection was found in 3.6% (95% CI= 2.5-5.0%). This differed significantly between individuals who had and had not received azithromycin (2.8% vs 6.5%, p=0.015); the prevalence of positive serology in 5-14 year-olds had been 21.7% (95% CI=14.6%-30.9%) 6 months prior to mass treatment. Not receiving azithromycin was associated with an odds of 3.9 for infection (p=0.001). National figures showed a 57% r...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - August 4, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Michael Marks et al. Source Type: research
Yaws
is a non-venereal endemic treponemal infection caused by Treponema pallidum sub-species pertenue, a spirochaete bacterium closely related to Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum, the agent of venereal syphilis. Yaws is a chronic, relapsing disease predominantly affecting children living in certain tropical regions. It spreads by skin-to-skin contact and, like syphilis, occurs in distinct clinical stages. It causes lesions of the skin, mucous membranes and bones which, without treatment, can become chronic and destructive. Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue, like its sexually-transmitted counterpart, is exquisitely sensitive t...
Source: International Journal of STD and AIDS - August 1, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Marks, M., Lebari, D., Solomon, A. W., Higgins, S. P. Tags: Review article Source Type: research
The burden of mental health in lymphatic filariasis
Conclusions
Lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases, notably Buruli Ulcer, cutaneous leishmaniasis, leprosy, yaws, onchocerciasis and trachoma cause significant co morbidity associated with mental illness in patients. Studies to assess the prevalence of the burden of this co-morbidity should be incorporated into any future assessment of the Global Burden of neglected tropical diseases. The prevalence of depressive illness in caregivers who support those who suffer from these conditions is required. Such assessments are critical for neglected tropical diseases which have such a huge ...
Source: Infectious Diseases of Poverty - July 30, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Macrolide Resistance in the Syphilis Spirochete, Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum: Can We Also Expect Macrolide-Resistant Yaws Strains?
Abstract
Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (TPA) causes over 10 million new cases of syphilis worldwide whereas T. pallidum ssp. pertenue (TPE), the causative agent of yaws, affects about 2.5 million people. Although penicillin remains the drug of choice in the treatment of syphilis, in penicillin-allergic patients, macrolides have been used in this indication since the 1950s. Failures of macrolides in syphilis treatment have been well documented in the literature and since 2000, there has been a dramatic increase in a number of clinical samples with macrolide-resistant TPA. Scarce data regarding the geneti...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - July 27, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Šmajs D, Paštěková L, Grillová L Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research
Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Are Nearly Identical to Class I Genital Ulcer Strains
Conclusions/Significance These data suggest that CU strains are derivatives of class I strains that were not recognized until recently. These findings require confirmation by analysis of CU strains from other regions. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - July 6, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Dharanesh Gangaiah et al. Source Type: research
Failure of PCR to Detect Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue DNA in Blood in Latent Yaws
by Michael Marks, Samantha Katz, Kai-Hua Chi, Ventis Vahi, Yongcheng Sun, David C. Mabey, Anthony W. Solomon, Cheng Y. Chen, Allan Pillay
Yaws, caused by Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue, is a neglected tropical disease closely related to venereal syphilis and is targeted for eradication by 2020. Latent yaws represents a diagnostic challenge, and current tools cannot adequately distinguish between individuals with true latent infection and individuals who are serofast following successful treatment. PCR on blood has previously been shown to detect T. pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis, suggesting that this approach ma...
Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases - June 30, 2015 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Michael Marks et al. Source Type: research
Screening wild and semi‐free ranging great apes for putative sexually transmitted diseases: Evidence of Trichomonadidae infections
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can persist endemically, are known to cause sterility and infant mortality in humans, and could have similar impacts in wildlife populations. African apes (i.e., chimpanzees, bonobos, and to a lesser extent gorillas) show multi‐male mating behavior that could offer opportunities for STD transmission, yet little is known about the prevalence and impact of STDs in this endangered primate group. We used serology and PCR‐based detection methods to screen biological samples from wild and orphaned eastern chimpanzees and gorillas (N = 172 individuals, including adults, and juveniles) ...
Source: American Journal of Primatology - June 26, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Julie Rushmore, Andrew B. Allison, Erin E. Edwards, Ujwal Bagal, Sonia Altizer, Mike R. Cranfield, Travis C. Glenn, Hsi Liu, Antoine Mudakikwa, Lawrence Mugisha, Martin N. Muller, Rebecca M. Stumpf, Melissa Emery Thompson, Richard Wrangham, Michael J. Yab Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Mapping the geographical distribution of yaws
Publication date: June 2015 Source:The Lancet Global Health, Volume 3, Issue 6 Author(s): David Mabey (Source: The Lancet Global Health)
Source: The Lancet Global Health - May 20, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: research
Global epidemiology of yaws: a systematic review
Publication date: June 2015 Source:The Lancet Global Health, Volume 3, Issue 6 Author(s): Oriol Mitjà , Michael Marks , Diby J P Konan , Gilbert Ayelo , Camila Gonzalez-Beiras , Bernard Boua , Wendy Houinei , Yiragnima Kobara , Earnest N Tabah , Agana Nsiire , Damas Obvala , Fasiah Taleo , Rita Djupuri , Zhang Zaixing , Jürg Utzinger , Lase S Vestergaard , Quique Bassat , Kingsley Asiedu Background To achieve yaws eradication, the use of the new WHO strategy of initial mass treatment with azithromycin and surveillance twice a year needs to be extended everywhere the disease occurs. However, the geog...
Source: The Lancet Global Health - May 20, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: research
