A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases.
A disproportionate burden of helminthiases in human populations occurs in marginalised, low-income, and resource-constrained regions of the world, with over 1 billion people in developing areas of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas infected with one or more helminth species. The morbidity ca...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3335854?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1819225745235378176 |
|---|---|
| author | Sara Lustigman Roger K Prichard Andrea Gazzinelli Warwick N Grant Boakye A Boatin James S McCarthy María-Gloria Basáñez |
| author_facet | Sara Lustigman Roger K Prichard Andrea Gazzinelli Warwick N Grant Boakye A Boatin James S McCarthy María-Gloria Basáñez |
| author_sort | Sara Lustigman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A disproportionate burden of helminthiases in human populations occurs in marginalised, low-income, and resource-constrained regions of the world, with over 1 billion people in developing areas of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas infected with one or more helminth species. The morbidity caused by such infections imposes a substantial burden of disease, contributing to a vicious circle of infection, poverty, decreased productivity, and inadequate socioeconomic development. Furthermore, helminth infection accentuates the morbidity of malaria and HIV/AIDS, and impairs vaccine efficacy. Polyparasitism is the norm in these populations, and infections tend to be persistent. Hence, there is a great need to reduce morbidity caused by helminth infections. However, major deficiencies exist in diagnostics and interventions, including vector control, drugs, and vaccines. Overcoming these deficiencies is hampered by major gaps in knowledge of helminth biology and transmission dynamics, platforms from which to help develop such tools. The Disease Reference Group on Helminths Infections (DRG4), established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. In this review, we provide an overview of the forces driving the persistence of helminthiases as a public health problem despite the many control initiatives that have been put in place; identify the main obstacles that impede progress towards their control and elimination; and discuss recent advances, opportunities, and challenges for the understanding of the biology, epidemiology, and control of these infections. The helminth infections that will be discussed include: onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, schistosomiasis, food-borne trematodiases, and taeniasis/cysticercosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:14:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-28968a02669c499caf20fa77771c6690 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:14:28Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-28968a02669c499caf20fa77771c66902022-12-21T17:50:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352012-01-0164e158210.1371/journal.pntd.0001582A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases.Sara LustigmanRoger K PrichardAndrea GazzinelliWarwick N GrantBoakye A BoatinJames S McCarthyMaría-Gloria BasáñezA disproportionate burden of helminthiases in human populations occurs in marginalised, low-income, and resource-constrained regions of the world, with over 1 billion people in developing areas of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Americas infected with one or more helminth species. The morbidity caused by such infections imposes a substantial burden of disease, contributing to a vicious circle of infection, poverty, decreased productivity, and inadequate socioeconomic development. Furthermore, helminth infection accentuates the morbidity of malaria and HIV/AIDS, and impairs vaccine efficacy. Polyparasitism is the norm in these populations, and infections tend to be persistent. Hence, there is a great need to reduce morbidity caused by helminth infections. However, major deficiencies exist in diagnostics and interventions, including vector control, drugs, and vaccines. Overcoming these deficiencies is hampered by major gaps in knowledge of helminth biology and transmission dynamics, platforms from which to help develop such tools. The Disease Reference Group on Helminths Infections (DRG4), established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. In this review, we provide an overview of the forces driving the persistence of helminthiases as a public health problem despite the many control initiatives that have been put in place; identify the main obstacles that impede progress towards their control and elimination; and discuss recent advances, opportunities, and challenges for the understanding of the biology, epidemiology, and control of these infections. The helminth infections that will be discussed include: onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, schistosomiasis, food-borne trematodiases, and taeniasis/cysticercosis.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3335854?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Sara Lustigman Roger K Prichard Andrea Gazzinelli Warwick N Grant Boakye A Boatin James S McCarthy María-Gloria Basáñez A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. |
| title_full | A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. |
| title_fullStr | A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. |
| title_full_unstemmed | A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. |
| title_short | A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: the problem of helminthiases. |
| title_sort | research agenda for helminth diseases of humans the problem of helminthiases |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3335854?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT saralustigman aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT rogerkprichard aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT andreagazzinelli aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT warwickngrant aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT boakyeaboatin aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT jamessmccarthy aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT mariagloriabasanez aresearchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT saralustigman researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT rogerkprichard researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT andreagazzinelli researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT warwickngrant researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT boakyeaboatin researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT jamessmccarthy researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases AT mariagloriabasanez researchagendaforhelminthdiseasesofhumanstheproblemofhelminthiases |