| dc.description.abstract | Conventionally, neglected diseases are considered as a group of 13 infectious diseases that are
. endemic in the low income populations in the tropical developing world. They can be classified
as those caused by trypanosomal parasites, helminthes, bacteria and viruses. They cause death to
an estimated 0.5- 1m people annually. Trypanosomal diseases are represented by Kala-azar or
visceral leshmaniasis, African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) and Chaga's disease
(American trypanosomiasis); the current drugs for these diseases are relatively toxic even though
the disease is not that lethal. Helminth infections include schistosomiasis treated with the
inexpensive praziquantel but which cannot stop re-infection; onchocerciasis (river blindness), on
which anthelmintic treatment is being tried; dracunculiasis (guinea worm), which should have been
eradicated in 2009; lymphatic filiriasis (elephantiasis), managed by anthelmintic treatments. The
others are soil transmitted worms such as ascariasis (round worms), trichuriasis (whipworms) and
hookworms which are really best controlled by good hygienic practices. Leprosy, trachoma, Buruli
ulcer and cholera represent the prevalent bacterial problems. Viral infections are yellow and
dengue fevers caused by flavivirus transmitted by Aedes aegyptii and Japanese encephilitis caused
by a flavivirus transmitted by Culex tritaeniorhynchus; the viral infections can be controlled through
vaccination (WHO, 2008). | en |
