Elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Malawi.

Background: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, causing severe pain, disfiguring, and disabling clinical conditions such as lymphoedema and hydrocoele. LF is a global public health problem affecting 72 countries, primarily in Africa and Asia. Since 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has led the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) to support all endemic regions.

Mental health and neglected tropical diseases - the neglected dimension of burden: identifying the challenges and understanding the burden.

Mental health co-morbidity and the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) has been highlighted as a major component of the ill health. The impact of mental illness is considered to be significantly underestimated in the calculations of the overall Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). This commentary discusses the DALY burden of anxiety, depression and associated stigma of NTDs.

Mental distress and health-related quality of life in gambiense human African trypanosomiasis: a case-control study in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: The extent to which neuropsychiatric sequelae affects the mental health status and quality of life of former gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) patients is not known.

Methods: We assessed anxiety, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 93 patients and their age- and sex-matched controls using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Becks Depression Inventory and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey in structured interviews in the Vanga health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were analysed using Stata version 14.

Mental health and quality of life burden in Buruli ulcer disease patients in Ghana.

Background: Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) is a necrotic skin neglected tropical disease (NTD) that has both a mental and physical health impact on affected individuals. Although there is increasing evidence suggesting a strong association between neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and mental illness, there is a relative lack of information on BUD's impact on the mental health and quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals in Ghana. This study is to assess the impact of BUD on mental health and quality of life of patients with active and past BUD infection, and their caregivers.

Are current preventive chemotherapy strategies for controlling and eliminating neglected tropical diseases cost-effective?

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in many low-income and middle-income countries. Several NTDs, namely lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) and trachoma, are predominantly controlled by preventive chemotherapy (or mass drug administration), following recommendations set by the WHO. Over one billion people are now treated for NTDs with this strategy per year.

Quantifying conflict zones as a challenge to certification of Guinea worm eradication in Africa: a new analytical approach.

Objectives: To quantify conflict events and access across countries that remain to be certified free of transmission of (Guinea worm disease) or require postcertification surveillance as part of the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP).

Setting And Participants: Populations living in Guinea worm affected areas across seven precertification countries and 13 postcertification sub-Saharan African countries.

Outcome Measures: The number of conflict events and rates per 100 000 population, the main types of conflict and actors reported to be responsible for events were summarised and mapped across all countries.

Caregiver burden in Buruli ulcer disease: Evidence from Ghana.

Background: Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) results in disabilities and deformities in the absence of early medical intervention. The extensive role of caregiving in BUD is widely acknowledged, however, associated caregiver burden is poorly understood. In this paper we assessed the burden which caregivers experience when supporting patients with BUD in Ghana.

The history of the neglected tropical disease movement.

The history of the neglected tropical disease movement is seen through the lens of authors who worked during the last 4 decades in different roles and in different settings, from Western-based laboratories to clinical roles in endemic countries and in critical policy roles in the World Health Organization (WHO). The authors seek to identify key players from the introduction of the word 'neglected' by the late Kenneth Warren in his Rockefeller Foundation-supported Great Neglected Diseases of Mankind movement through to the more recent developments after the London Declaration of 2012. The role of the various actors-endemic countries, major pharmaceutical companies, the WHO, non-government development organizations, bilateral donors and academia-are discussed.

African regional progress and status of the programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: 2000-2020.

To eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) by 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a campaign against the disease. Since the launch in 2000, significant progress has been made to achieve this ambitious goal. In this article we review the progress and status of the LF programme in Africa through the WHO neglected tropical diseases preventive chemotherapy databank, the Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) portal and other publications.

Podoconiosis: key priorities for research and implementation.

Podoconiosis is a non-infectious tropical lymphoedema causing swelling of the lower legs. Podoconiosis is associated with stigma, depression and reduced productivity, resulting in significant socio-economic impacts for affected individuals, families and communities. It is caused by barefoot exposure to soils and affects disadvantaged populations.

The elimination of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense? Challenges of reservoir hosts and transmission cycles: Expect the unexpected.

The World Health Organisation has set the goal for elimination of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by (gHAT), as a public health problem for 2020 and for the total interruption of transmission to humans for 2030. Targeting human carriers and potential animal reservoir infections will be critical to achieving this ambitious goal. However, there is continuing debate regarding the significance of reservoir host animals, wild and domestic, in different epidemiological contexts, whilst the extent and duration of the asymptomatic human carrier state is similarly undefined.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis and co-morbid major depressive disorder: A systematic review with burden estimates.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) associated with chronic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has been identified as a significant and overlooked contributor to overall disease burden. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most prevalent and stigmatising NTDs, with an incidence of around 1 million new cases of active CL infection annually. However, the characteristic residual scarring (inactive CL) following almost all cases of active CL has only recently been recognised as part of the CL disease spectrum due to its lasting psychosocial impact.

Environmental factors associated with the distribution of Loa loa vectors Chrysops spp. in Central and West Africa: seeing the forest for the trees.

Background: Loiasis is caused by the filarial parasite Loa loa, which is widespread through Central and West Africa and largely confined the tropical equatorial rainforests. The tabanid flies Chrysops silacea and Chrysops dimidiata are the main vectors driving transmission. This study aimed to better define the spatial distribution and ecological niche of the two vectors to help define spatial-temporal risk and target appropriate, timely intervention strategies for filariasis control and elimination programmes.

Neglected Tropical Diseases and Mental Health: Progress, Partnerships, and Integration.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are increasingly recognised as major drivers of psychosocial morbidity in affected individuals and their caregivers. Nevertheless, there has remained a lack of prioritisation at the policy level of some of the most stigmatising and chronic NTDs, with subsequent under-representation within NTD programmes. In response, the Neglected Tropical Disease/Non-Governmental Organization/Network (NNN) has established a Mental Wellbeing and Stigma Task Group (MWS) to address these issues through a comprehensive research agenda.

Innovative Surveillance Strategies to Support the Elimination of Filariasis in Africa.

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis are two neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) of public health significance targeted for global elimination. The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region is a priority region, with the highest collective burden of LF and onchocerciasis globally. Coendemic loiasis further complicates elimination due to the risk of adverse events associated with ivermectin treatment.

Increasing evidence of low lymphatic filariasis prevalence in high risk Loa loa areas in Central and West Africa: a literature review.

In West and Central Africa, there is a need to establish the prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti in areas that are co-endemic for Loa loa, in order to implement the appropriate strategies to scale-up interventions for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF). Due to the risk of severe adverse events (SAEs) to ivermectin in individuals with high L. loa microfilaraemia, the current strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is twice yearly mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole, supplemented by vector control targeting the Anopheles vectors.

Integrated risk mapping and landscape characterisation of lymphatic filariasis and loiasis in South West Nigeria.

Nigeria has the heaviest burden of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in sub-Saharan Africa, which is caused by the parasite and transmitted by mosquitoes. LF is targeted for elimination and the national programme is scaling up mass drug administration (MDA) across the country to interrupt transmission. However, in some regions the co-endemicity of the filarial parasite (loiasis) is an impediment due to the risk of severe adverse events (SAEs) associated with the drug ivermectin.

Rapid integrated clinical survey to determine prevalence and co-distribution patterns of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis in a co-endemic area: The Angolan experience.

The Republic of Angola is a priority country for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination, however, the co-distribution of the filarial parasite (loiasis) is a significant impediment, due to the risk of severe adverse events (SAEs) associated with ivermectin used in mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns. Angola has a high risk loiasis zone identified in Bengo Province where alternative interventions may need to be implemented; however, the presence and geographical overlap of the three filarial infections/diseases are not well defined. Therefore, this study conducted a rapid integrated filarial mapping survey based on readily identifiable clinical conditions of each disease in this risk zone to help determine prevalence and co-distribution patterns in a timely manner with limited resources.