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(LML) InfoNTD monthly e-newsletter on NTDs and cross-cutting issues - February 2019

Leprosy Mailing List – February 15,  2019
Ref.:    (LML) InfoNTD monthly e-newsletter on NTDs and cross-cutting issues - February 2019
From:  Roos Geutjes, Amsterdam, the Netherlands


Dear colleagues,
This newsletter provides you with a selection of news items and recent publications on cross-cutting issues in NTDs. Our starting point is to add articles covering a wide variety of issues. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to a limited diversity in and shortage of articles on cross-cutting issues and NTDs.

Feel free to contact us with any questions or to receive the PDF if a link to the full text is not included.
Our document delivery service is free!

Roos Geutjes, info@InfoNTD.org
InfoNTD Coordinator
www.InfoNTD.org
New publications
Onchocerciasis associated epilepsy-A question of causality.
Cantey PT, Sejvar J. Int. J. Infect. Dis. 2019; 79:185-186.
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The long run impact of early childhood deworming on numeracy and literacy: Evidence from Uganda.
Croke K, Atun R. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007085.
Abstract Up to 1.45 billion people currently suffer from soil transmitted helminth infection, with the largest burden occurring in Africa and Asia. Safe and cost effective deworming treatment exists, but there is a debate about mass distribution of this treatment in high prevalence settings. This paper analyzes the long-term impact of a cluster-randomized trial in eastern Uganda that provided mass deworming treatment to preschool aged children from 2000 to 2003 on the numeracy and literacy skills of children and young adults living in those villages in 2010-2015.
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A therapeutic preconceptional vaccine against Chagas disease: A novel indication that could reduce congenital transmission and accelerate vaccine development.
Dumonteil E, Herrera C, Buekens P. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0006985.
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Human schistosomiasis in Benin: Countrywide evidence of Schistosoma haematobium predominance.
Onzo-Aboki A, Ibikounlé M, Boko PM, et al. Acta Trop. 2019; 191:185-197.
Abstract A national mapping of human schistosomiasis was conducted in Benin to provide the baseline epidemiological data required to implement the national strategy for schistosomiasis control and elimination to achieve the WHO's goal of reaching at least 75% of school-age children in endemic areas by 2020.
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A call for systems epidemiology to tackle the complexity of schistosomiasis, its control, and its elimination.
Krauth SJ, Balen J, Gobert GN, et al. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2019; 4(1):21.
Abstract Ever since the first known written report of schistosomiasis in the mid-19th century, researchers have aimed to increase knowledge of the parasites, their hosts, and the mechanisms contributing to infection and disease. This knowledge generation has been paramount for the development of improved intervention strategies. Yet, despite a broad knowledge base of direct risk factors for schistosomiasis, there remains a paucity of information related to more complex, interconnected, and often hidden drivers of transmission that hamper intervention successes and sustainability.
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Preventive chemotherapy reverses covert, lymphatic associated tissue change in young people with lymphatic filariasis in Myanmar.
Douglass J, Dykes L, Kelly-Hope L, et al. Trop. Med. Int. Health. 2019.
Abstract This longitudinal comparative study investigated the effect of preventive chemotherapy (PC) on covert tissue changes associated with lymphatic filariasis (LF) among young people living in an LF-endemic area in Myanmar.
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Mapping of dengue high risk areas in Gangodawila PHI Area in the District of Colombo.
Mendis BAN, Dayananda PD, De Silva BGDNK. University of Sri Jayewardenepura. 2018:132.
Abstract Dengue is known as the most common arboviral disease in the world. Sri Lanka has been affected by dengue epidemics for over two decades. In recent years over 50,000 dengue cases per year have been reported (55,150 in 2016 and 186,101 in 2017). The highest incidence is reported from Colombo district. Despite extensive vector control strategies carried out so far by health authorities a significant reduction in dengue prevalence has not been observed. The study highlights the importance of adopting effective spacial mapping tools for better dengue management.
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Community based cross sectional study of podoconiosis and associated factors in Dano district, Central Ethiopia.
Dejene F, Merga H, Asefa H. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007050.
Abstract Podoconiosis, affects lower limb, is an entirely preventable non-communicable tropical disease common in low income countries. Globally it is estimated that there are 4 million peoples with podoconiosis and nationally it is estimated that there are 1.56 million cases of podoconiosis. Even though nationwide mapping has been conducted including the current district under investigation, there are no studies conducted to identify factors associated with podoconiosis in the district. Hence, this study was aimed to determine the prevalence of podoconiosis and associated factors in the west Shewa of Dano district community.
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Assessment of trachoma in suspected endemic areas within 16 provinces in mainland China.
Zhao J, Mariotti SP, Resnikoff S, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007130.
Abstract China used to be among the countries with a high prevalence of trachoma. At the launch of The Global Elimination of Trachoma (GET) 2020 campaign by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1996, China was placed on the list of countries endemic for trachoma based on historical data. However, empirical observation and routinely collected eye care data were suggesting that trachoma was no longer a public health problem. To determine whether the GET 2020 goals had been met in P. R. China, we conducted a targeted assessment with national scope.
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Schistosomiasis in Malaysia: A review.
Chuah C, Gobert GN, Latif B, et al. Acta Trop. 2019; 190:137-143.
Abstract This review discusses the central features of schistosomiasis; including clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatments, and the preventive measures available for the control of this disease. The description of the Malaysian schistosome species Schistosoma malayensis and the current status of schistosomiasis in Malaysia including the compilation of cases diagnosed from 1904 to 2015 are also discussed in this paper.
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Odds, challenges and new approaches in the control of helminthiasis, an Asian study.
Sato MO, Adsakwattana P, Fontanilla IKC, et al. Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2019; 4:e00083.
Abstract The time is passing, and the worms are still a major struggle for local people in Asian countries, especially the less empowered and in a situation of social vulnerability. We are working in the field in Laos, Thailand, and the Philippines where the usual control programs based only on human treatment are partially effective. In this short review, we summarize the actual scenario concerning the main helminths in Southeast Asia and how an environmental DNA approach and the use of GIS could contribute to surveillance and control programs.
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Eliminating visceral leishmaniasis in South Asia: the road ahead.
Rijal S, Sundar S, Mondal D, et al. BMJ. 2019; 364:k5224.
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Chagas and health promotion: dialogue inspired by the Curitiba Statement.
Sanmartino M, Avaria Saavedra A, Gómez I Prat J, et al. Health Promot Int. 2019.
Abstract With the objective of providing an insightful analysis of Chagas disease in the world, the authors share their collective reflections about the current situation of this public health problem in: rural environments of Latin America; urban environments of endemic and non-endemic areas everywhere; and, at a global level.
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Neglected tropical diseases in children: An assessment of gaps in research prioritization.
Rees CA, Hotez PJ, Monuteaux MC, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007111.
Abstract Despite the known burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on child health, there is limited information on current efforts to increase pediatric therapeutic options. Our objective was to quantify and characterize research activity and treatment availability for NTDs in children in order to inform the prioritization of future research efforts.
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The timing is right to end snakebite deaths in South Asia.
Ralph R, Sharma SK, Faiz MA, et al. BMJ. 2019; 364.
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The time is now: a call for action to translate recent momentum on tackling tropical snakebite into sustained benefit for victims.
Harrison RA, Casewell NR, Ainsworth SA, et al. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2019:1-4.
Abstract Like the other WHO-listed Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), snakebite primarily affects rural, impoverished tropical communities that lack adequate health resources. The annual 138 000 deaths and 400 000 disabilities suffered by these subsistence farming communities means that snakebite is an additional cause and consequence of tropical poverty. Unlike most of the NTDs, however, snakebite is a medical emergency, and requires rapid treatment in a hospital equipped with effective antivenom, beds and appropriately trained staff.
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The cost of a disease targeted for elimination in Brazil: the case of schistosomiasis mansoni.
Nascimento GL, Pegado HM, Domingues ALC, et al. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. 2018; 114:e180347.
Abstract Schistosomiasis mansoni is a poverty-related parasitic infection that has a variety of clinical manifestations. We consider the disability and deaths caused by schistosomiasis unacceptable for a tool-ready disease. Its condition in Brazil warrants an analysis that will enable better understanding of the local health losses and contribute to the complex decision-making process. This study estimates the cost of schistosomiasis in Brazil in 2015.
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Prevalence of lymphatic filariasis in a tribal area of Maharashtra.
Lunge VR. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2019; 6(2):1-6.
Abstract About 304 million persons are living in the known endemic areas and are exposed to the risk of filariasis. About 22 million persons are harboring microfilaria in their blood and 16 million persons show clinical manifestations. The objective of the study was to study the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis in a tribal area.
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The epidemiology and chemotherapeutic approaches to the control of urinary schistosomiasis in school-age children (SAC): a systematic review.
Atalabi TE, Adubi TO. BMC Infect. Dis. 2019; 19(1):73.
Abstract Human schistosomiases are acute and chronic infectious diseases of poverty. Currently, epidemiological data of urinary schistosomiasis (US) in school-age children (SAC) and adults are often reported together making it difficult to ascertain the true status of the disease. Based on this premise, we set out to carry out this review.
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Analysis of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths mixed infections among pupils in Enugu State, Nigeria: Implications for control.
Aribodor DN, Bassey SA, Yoonuan T, et al. Infect Dis Health. 2019.
Abstract Schistosomiasis and Soil-transmitted helminthiasis cause considerable morbidity and mortality in developing countries, especially among children. To this end it, a cross-sectional survey to determine the pattern of Schistosomiasis and Soil-transmitted helminthiasis co-infection was undertaken among primary school pupils in Oduma Community in Enugu State, Nigeria.
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Effects of water, sanitation, handwashing and nutritional interventions on soil-transmitted helminth infections in young children: a cluster-randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh.
Ercumen A, Benjamin-Chung J, Arnold BF, et al. bioRxivorg. 2019.
Abstract Soil transmitted helminths (STH) infect >1.5 billion people. Mass drug administration (MDA) reduces infection; however, drug resistance is emerging and reinfection occurs rapidly. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh (WASH Benefits, NCT01590095) to assess whether water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition interventions, alone and combined, reduce STH in a setting with ongoing MDA.
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Naja annulifera Snake: New insights into the venom components and pathogenesis of envenomation.
Silva-de-França F, Villas-Boas IM, de Serrano SMT, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007017.
Abstract Naja annulifera is a medically important venomous snake occurring in some of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Accidental bites result in severe coagulation disturbances, systemic inflammation and heart damage, as reported in dogs, and death, by respiratory arrest, in humans. Despite the medical importance of N. annulifera, little is known about its venom composition and the pathogenesis of envenomation. In this paper, the toxic, inflammatory and immunogenic properties of N. annulifera venom were analyzed.
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Ghana: Accelerating neglected tropical disease control in a setting of economic development.
Hotez PJ, Biritwum N-K, Fenwick A, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007005.
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Resolving the apparent transmission paradox of African sleeping sickness.
Capewell P, Atkins K, Weir W, et al. PLoS Biol. 2019; 17(1):e3000105.
Abstract Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or African sleeping sickness, is a fatal disease found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is close to elimination in many areas, although it was similarly close to elimination once before and subsequently reemerged, despite seemingly low rates of transmission. Determining how these foci persisted and overcame an apparent transmission paradox is key to finally eliminating HAT.
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Analysis of the effects of rainfall on dengue incidence in the city of Delhi, India.
Salam N. Int J Med Res Health Sci. 2018; 7(12):149-155.
Abstract Dengue fever is a vector-borne disease caused by the mosquito Aedes sp. The disease has spread to new geographical areas in the past few decades threatening previously unexposed populations to its risks. Environmental factors and unplanned urbanization are the two important variables affecting the increasing incidence of dengue. This study was carried out to assess the effects of seasonal rainfall on the incidence of dengue cases in Delhi.
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Improved DNA extraction technique from clot for the diagnosis of Chagas disease.
Mayta H, Romero YK, Pando A, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007024.
Abstract The detection of Trypanosoma cruzi genetic material in clinical samples is considered an important diagnostic tool for Chagas disease. We have previously demonstrated that PCR using clot samples yields greater sensitivity than either buffy coat or whole blood samples. However, phenol-chloroform DNA extraction from clot samples is difficult and toxic. The objective of the present study was to improve and develop a more sensitive method to recover parasite DNA from clot samples for the diagnosis of Chagas disease.
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WASH for WORMS: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the impact of a community-integrated water, sanitation, and hygiene and deworming intervention on soil-transmitted helminth infections.
Nery SV, Traub RJ, McCarthy JS, et al. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2019.
Abstract Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions have been proposed as an important complement to deworming programs for sustainable control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. We aimed to determine whether a community-based WASH program had additional benefits in reducing STH infections compared with community deworming alone.
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AWZ1066S, a highly specific anti- drug candidate for a short-course treatment of filariasis.
Hong DW, Benayoud F, Nixon GL, et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2019.
Abstract Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis are two neglected tropical diseases that together affect
157 million people and inflict severe disability. Both diseases are caused by parasitic filarial nematodes with elimination efforts constrained by the lack of a safe drug that can kill the adult filaria (macrofilaricide).
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Economic burden of dengue in Indonesia.
Nadjib M, Setiawan E, Putri S, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019; 13(1):e0007038.
Abstract Dengue is associated with significant economic expenditure and it is estimated that the Asia Pacific region accounts for >50% of the global cost. Indonesia has one of the world's highest dengue burdens; Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the primary and secondary vectors. In the absence of local data on disease cost, this study estimated the annual economic burden during 2015 of both hospitalized and ambulatory dengue cases in Indonesia.
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WIPO Re:Search-A platform for product-centered cross-sector partnerships for the elimination of schistosomiasis.
Weber CJ, Hargan-Calvopiña J, Graef KM, et al. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2018; 4(1).
Abstract Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic disease that affects over 200 million people worldwide, and with over 700 million people estimated to be at risk of contracting this disease, it is a pressing issue in global health. However, research and development (R&D) to develop new approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating schistosomiasis has been relatively limited.
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News
WASH and Health working together: a 'how to guide' for NTD programmes
31 January 2019|The NNN WASH Working Group and the WHO have launched the first-ever, step-by-step planning guide on successful, intersectoral WASH and NTD partnerships for reaching NTD and overall development goals. This toolkit provides step-by-step guidance to NTD programme managers and partners on how to engage and work collaboratively with the WASH community to improve delivery of water, sanitation and hygiene services to underserved population affected by many neglected tropical diseases. The toolkit is based on real-life programme experience, which users can match to their needs and local context. It includes a series of tools to help build multisectoral partnerships, mobilize resources, and design, implement and evaluate interventions.
The interactive online version of the toolkit is coming soon on this page! https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases-risks/diseases/wash-health-toolkit/en/

A new cure for river blindness and elephantiasis
29 Jan 2019|W. David Hong|BMC Blogs Network -- A new rapid acting drug, which targets the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia has been discovered that could potentially cut treatment times of filariasis from weeks to days.
Read more

WHO highlights dengue as a top global health threat for 2019
February 6, 2019|Marianne Comparet (ISNTD) -- At the start of the year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a list of ten focal threats to global health that it forsees for 2019, with the aim of galvanising attention from the WHO as well as health partners worldwide. Dengue is featured as one of these priority threats, along with HIV, Ebola and other high-threat pathogens.
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GDPR & the InfoNTD newsletter

New EU data protection regulations came into force on 25 May 2018. We have been reviewing our practices with regards to the GDPR, including our privacy statement and mailing list. InfoNTD sends out monthly e-mails to its subscribers with an overview of recent publications on NTDs and cross-cutting issues. The purpose of this activity is to keep subscribers up to date. InfoNTD will only process the data we have (names, email addresses) for the purpose of sending you the newsletter. We take your security seriously and will never share your contact details with anyone else. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list at any time.


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