Tropical Disease News and Research

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Tropical diseases encompass all diseases that occur solely, or principally, in the tropics. In practice, the term is often taken to refer to infectious diseases that thrive in hot, humid conditions, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, Chagas disease, African trypanosomiasis, and dengue.

AusAID draft strategy includes more support for research into neglected diseases

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) "is planning to boost support for medical research, technology and innovations," as well as "encourage collaboration and capacity building aimed at poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases," SciDev.Net reports.

12 Sep 2012

Guinea worm disease on verge of eradication, WHO reports

"The World Health Organization reports Guinea worm disease, which has plagued people for thousands of years, is on the verge of eradication," VOA News reports. "The U.N. agency says fewer than 400 cases of the infectious parasitic disease exist in four African countries, and that it will soon become only the second, after smallpox, to be wiped off the face of the earth," the news service writes.

30 Aug 2012

Blog examines Nicaragua's national deworming program

This post in the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog, part of a six-part series of blog posts covering interesting elements of the Nicaragua experience highlighted in the case study entitled "Worms and WASH(ED)," examines how the country's "history in ensuring a national deworming program has shed light on the potential for success."

23 Aug 2012

Recent release: AIDS 2012 panel discussion highlighted link between HIV/AIDS, NTDs

"On Wednesday, July 25, the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases [NTDs] co-chaired a panel at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), addressing the link between NTDs and HIV/AIDS," the network's "End the Neglect" blog reports.

28 Jul 2012

Scientists develop simple assay to diagnose 'superparasites'

Belgian scientists of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, Belgium made a breakthrough in bridging high tech molecular biology research on microbial pathogens and the needs of the poorest of the poor. After sequencing the complete genome of Leishmania donovani (a parasite causing one of the most important tropical diseases after malaria) in hundreds of clinical isolates, they identified a series of mutations specific of 'superparasites' and developed a simple assay that should allow tracking them anywhere.

20 Jul 2012

Intense war against malaria outlined by two studies in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

A pair of provocative studies in the July 2012 issue of The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH) provides a window into the intense ground war now underway against malaria.

4 Jul 2012

Inclusion of water, sanitation in Rio+20 discussions 'refreshing'

In this post in the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases' "End the Neglect" blog, Helen Hamilton, policy adviser for neglected tropical diseases at Sightsavers, reflects on the Rio+20 conference, "which took place last week in Brazil to discuss how the world can develop more sustainably."

30 Jun 2012

Ghana to contribute $1M to fight NTDs

Ghana "will contribute about $1 million towards the prevention and control of endemic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in order to protect the gains made by the country in Guinea worm eradication and the elimination of trachoma," the country's health minister announced on Monday at the opening of a Regional Stakeholders' Consultative Meeting on NTDs, PANA/AfriqueJet reports. Health Minister Albin Bagbin "also called on African countries to support interventions to address NTDs and improve coordination among all stakeholders in implementing NTD programs," the news agency writes.

28 Jun 2012

Thomson Reuters study tracks current status of research on NTDs

"The Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters on Tuesday announced the publication of a new study tracking the current status of research on neglected tropical diseases [NTDs]," a Thomson Reuters Corporation press release reports.

20 Jun 2012

END7 campaign launches tweet chat series

The END7 campaign, a global advocacy campaign run by the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) "to raise awareness of the seven most common NTDs and cultivate the resources necessary to end them by 2020," is launching a tweet chat series on Twitter, which aims to bring global health non-governmental organizations together "to ask questions and share tips on social media," a post in the Global Network's "End the Neglect" blog reports.

15 Jun 2012

If health continues to wane on G8 agenda, a serious void will be left

In this post in the Global Health Governance blog, Jenilee Guebert, director of research for the global health diplomacy program and G8 research group at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, writes that, "for the second year in a row, the amount of attention devoted to global health" at the annual G8 summit, which took place at Camp David in Maryland in May, has declined.

13 Jun 2012

DNDi, Astellas partner on new drug discovery research for treatment of NTDs

Astellas Pharma Inc. and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) announced an agreement today to collaborate on drug discovery research for leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness - three neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) which together affect nearly 10 million people worldwide.

12 Jun 2012

MSF report examines past, present, future management of neglected tropical diseases

"In order to break the vicious cycle that leaves tropical diseases neglected, existing programs that diagnose and treat patients need to be expanded and medical research to develop simpler, more effective tools needs to be supported, according to a new report, Fighting Neglect, released Monday by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)," the organization reports on its webpage.

12 Jun 2012

Chagas disease – ‘the AIDS of the Americas’

A recent editorial published in the Public Library of Science's Neglected Tropical Diseases called Chagas disease, a parasite which kills about 20,000 people a year, "the AIDS of the Americas." The disease can be transferred to a child from its mother or by blood transfusions. About 20 percent of those infected can develop life-threatening illness that includes enlarged hearts or intestines, and the drugs used today to treat the disease can take months to work.

12 Jun 2012

Agence France-Presse reports on efforts to eradicate sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa

Agence France-Presse reports on Human African trypanosomiasis, "commonly known as sleeping sickness, which is transmitted by tsetse flies found in 36 sub-Saharan African countries," writing, "Without treatment in four months to a year, 'the parasite penetrates into the brain, causing serious neurological symptoms, until death,' said Doctor Benedict Blaynay, head of neglected tropical diseases at French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi."

12 Jun 2012

Magazine examines efforts to biologically alter bugs to fight human diseases

Pacific Standard magazine examines efforts by researchers around the globe to biologically modify bugs to fight human diseases, such as dengue fever. "Biologically altering bugs isn't entirely new; it's been done for nearly half a century to protect crops. ...

8 Jun 2012

Experts respond to PLoS editorial comparing Chagas disease to HIV/AIDS

"Chagas disease, a parasitic infection spread to humans by insects, is not the new HIV/AIDS of the Americas, according to infectious disease experts who called the comparison," made in an editorial published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases last week, "'unrealistic' and 'unfortunate,'" ABC News' "Medical Unit" blog reports.

5 Jun 2012

Chagas disease could pose threat similar to other global pandemics, experts warn

"Researchers are warning that the little-known Chagas disease could pose a threat similar to other global pandemics," Fox News reports, noting Chagas disease "is a parasitic illness that is most commonly transmitted by the so-called 'kissing bugs,' a subfamily of blood-sucking insects, through the parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi" (5/31).

2 Jun 2012

Officials at 65th World Health Assembly adopt resolutions on broad range of health issues

"The 65th World Health Assembly concluded Saturday after adopting 21 resolutions and three decisions on a broad range of health issues," a WHO press release reports.

30 May 2012

Huffington Post series of opinion pieces examines NGO priorities for G8

The Huffington Post is running "a series of blogs by leading NGOs to call attention to a range of issues that should be raised at the G8 summit at Camp David in rural Maryland from May 18-19," according to the news service. The following summarizes some of the posts published this week.

18 May 2012