Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Ebola- Affected Countries of West Africa

PLOS   EDITORIAL by Peter J. Hotez, Sabin Vaccine Institute                          June 25, 2015

While global attention in West Africa is focused on the emergence of Ebola virus infection, new information from the published literature and World Health Organization databases reveals that many other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are far more widespread and also require urgent attention.

Well before Ebola virus infection emerged in West Africa at the end of 2013, the three

major affected countries--Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone were already known to

be highly affected by NTDs....

Today, new information from the recent literature and the World Health Organization

(WHO) Preventive Chemotherapy and Transmission (PCT) Control databases reveals that

NTDs remain widespread in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.  An estimated

22.6 million people live in these three nations, where (as of this writing) approximately 27,000

have been infected with the Ebola virus, resulting in almost 9,000 deaths.  However, other

NTDs now affect millions of people.

According to a new estimate led by the Swiss Tropical and

Public Health Institute, more than 2 million children suffer from hookworm infection in the

three affected countries, and Sierra Leone has the highest prevalence of hookworm infection in

sub-Saharan Africa.

 Almost 700,000 people are also infected with ascariasis and trichuriasis.Schistosomiasis is equally or even more widespread, as almost 5 million people require pre-

ventive chemotherapy (PC) with praziquantel. Approximately 100,000 require PC for lym-

phatic filariasis while more than 40% of the combined populations of the three countries

are at risk for onchocerciasis. Malaria remains widespread..