scholarly journals The 2017 Oslo conference report on neglected tropical diseases and emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases – focus on populations underserved

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Klohe ◽  
John Amuasi ◽  
Joyce Moriku Kaducu ◽  
Ingeborg Haavardsson ◽  
Ekaterina Bogatyreva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Conference Report ◽  
Tropical Diseases

scholarly journals ACCF/AHA/CDC Conference Report on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biological Terrorism Threats

Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 115 (12) ◽  
pp. 1656-1658 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
George A. Mensah ◽  
Augustus O. Grant ◽  
Carl J. Pepine ◽  
Larry M. Baddour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Conference Report ◽  
Biological Terrorism

scholarly journals Genomic and phenotypic characterization of experimentally selected resistant Leishmania donovani reveals a role for dynamin-1 like protein in the mechanism of resistance to a novel anti-leishmanial compound

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aya Hefnawy ◽  
Gabriel Negreira ◽  
Marlene Jara ◽  
James A. Cotton ◽  
Ilse Maes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Leishmania Donovani ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Arms Race ◽  
Etiological Agent ◽  
Phenotypic Characterization ◽  
Tropical Diseases

AbstractThe implementation of prospective drug resistance (DR) studies in the R&D pipelines is a common practice for many infectious diseases, but not for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Here, we explored and demonstrated the importance of this approach, using as paradigms Leishmania donovani, the etiological agent of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), and TCMDC-143345, a promising compound of the GSK ‘Leishbox’ to treat VL. We experimentally selected resistance to TCMDC-143345 in vitro and characterized resistant parasites at genomic and phenotypic levels. We found that it took more time to develop resistance to TCMDC-143345 than to other drugs in clinical use and that there was no cross resistance to these drugs, suggesting a new and unique mechanism. By whole genome sequencing, we found two mutations in the gene encoding the L. donovani dynamin-1-like protein (LdoDLP1) that were fixed at highest drug pressure. Through phylogenetic analysis, we identified LdoDLP1 as a family member of the dynamin-related proteins, a group of proteins that impacts the shapes of biological membranes by mediating fusion and fission events, with a putative role in mitochondrial fission. We found that L. donovani lines genetically engineered to harbor the two identified LdoDLP1 mutations were resistant to TCMDC-143345 and displayed altered mitochondrial properties. By homology modeling, we showed how the two LdoDLP1 mutations may influence protein structure and function. Taken together, our data reveal a clear involvement of LdoDLP1 in the adaptation/resistance of L. donovani to TCMDC-143345.ImportanceHumans and their pathogens are continuously locked in a molecular arms race during which the eventual emergence of pathogen drug resistance (DR) seems inevitable. For neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), DR is generally studied retrospectively, once it has already been established in clinical settings. We previously recommended to keep one step ahead in the host-pathogen arms race and implement prospective DR studies in the R&D pipeline, a common practice for many infectious diseases, but not for NTDs. Here, using Leishmania donovani, the etiological agent of Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), and TCMDC-143345, a promising compound of the GSK ‘Leishbox’ to treat VL, as paradigms, we experimentally selected resistance to the compound and proceeded to genomic and phenotypic characterization of DR parasites. The results gathered in the present study suggest a new DR mechanism involving the L. donovani dynamin-1 like protein (LdoDLP1) and demonstrate the practical relevance of prospective DR studies.

scholarly journals Neglected infectious diseases in the geriatrics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abrar Abdulfattah Al Yamani ◽  
Yahya Mohammad Falqi ◽  
Yussif Mohammed Alnawar ◽  
Lama Mohammed Almahrous ◽  
Haitham Ahmed Alwael ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Dengue Infection ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Severe Dengue ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Populations At Risk

Infectious diseases in the elderly population pose a significant threat to their lives. Neglected tropical diseases significantly impact the health of the affected patients and populations at risk. Reports show that many of these disorders are among the highest ten most typical causes of disability-adjusted life years. In the present literature review, we have discussed the most common neglected tropical infections in geriatrics based on data from the current studies in the literature. Different infections can affect the geriatric population. However, evidence shows that this population is susceptible to developing severe disease-related conditions. This has been reported with dengue infection, onchocerciasis, and cholera. It has been demonstrated that ocular lesions and other clinical manifestations are highest among the elderly population with onchocerciasis. Severe dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever are also reported at a high rate in this age group. Concurrent infections and disorders were documented with many of these infections, probably due to reduced immunity. Socioeconomic factors, co-morbidities, access to healthcare settings, environmental factors, sanitation, clustering, and overcrowding contribute to the frequency of neglected tropical diseases in the elderly. Further studies are still needed because the current report is scarce, which might underestimate the current evidence.

scholarly journals Neglected Tropical Diseases and Other Infectious Diseases Affecting the Heart. The NET-Heart Project: Rationale and Design

Global Heart ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucrecia M. Burgos ◽  
Juan Farina ◽  
Macarena Cousirat Liendro ◽  
Clara Saldarriaga ◽  
Alvaro Sosa Liprandi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Tropical Diseases

scholarly journals Measuring changes in transmission of neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and enteric pathogens from quantitative antibody levels

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin F. Arnold ◽  
Mark J. van der Laan ◽  
Alan E. Hubbard ◽  
Cathy Steel ◽  
Joseph Kubofcik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Multiplex Assays ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Serological Surveillance ◽  
Antibody Levels ◽  
Pathogen Exposure

AbstractBackgroundSerologicalantibody levels are a sensitive marker of pathogen exposure, and advances in multiplex assays have created enormous potential for large-scale, integrated infectious disease surveillance. Most methods to analyze antibody measurements reduce quantitative antibody levels to seropositive and seronegative groups, but this can be difficult for many pathogens and may provide lower resolution information than quantitative levels in low transmission settings. Analysis methods have predominantly maintained a single disease focus, yet integrated surveillance platforms would benefit from methodologies that work across diverse pathogens included in multiplex assays.Methods/Principal FindingsWe developed an approach to measure changes in transmission from quantitative antibody levels that can be applied to diverse pathogens of global importance. We compared age-dependent immunoglobulin G curves in repeated cross-sectional surveys between populations with differences in transmission for multiple pathogens, including: lymphatic filariasis (Wuchereria bancrofti) measured before and after mass drug administration on Mauke, Cook Islands, malaria (Plasmodium falciparum) before and after a combined insecticide and mass drug administration intervention in the Garki project, Nigeria, and enteric protozoans (Cryptosporidium parvum,Giardia intestinalis,Entamoeba histolytica), bacteria (enterotoxigenicEscherichia coli,Salmonella spp.), and viruses (norovirus groups I and II) in children living in Haiti and the USA. Age-dependent antibody curves fit with ensemble machine learning followed a characteristic shape across pathogens that aligned with predictions from basic mechanisms of humoral immunity. Differences in pathogen transmission led to shifts in fitted antibody curves that were remarkably consistent across pathogens, assays, and populations. Mean antibody levels correlated strongly with traditional measures of transmission intensity, such as the entomological inoculation rate forP. falciparum(Spearman’s rho=0.75). Seroprevalence estimates recapitulated patterns observed in quantitative antibody levels, albeit with lower resolution.Conclusions/SignificanceAge-dependent antibody curves and summary means provided a robust and sensitive measure of changes in transmission, with greatest sensitivity among young children. The method generalizes to pathogens that can be measured in high-throughput, multiplex serological assays, and scales to surveillance activities that require high spatiotemporal resolution. The approach represents a new opportunity to conduct integrated serological surveillance for neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and other infectious diseases with well-defined antigen targets.Author SummaryGlobal elimination strategies for infectious diseases like neglected tropical diseases and malaria rely on accurate estimates of pathogen transmission to target and evaluate control programs. Circulating antibody levels can be a sensitive measure of recent pathogen exposure, but no broadly applicable method exists to measure changes in transmission directly from quantitative antibody levels. We developed a novel method that applies recent advances in machine learning and data science to flexibly fit age-dependent antibody curves. Shifts in age-dependent antibody curves provided remarkably consistent, sensitive measures of transmission changes when evaluated across many globally important pathogens (filarial worms, malaria, enteric infections). The method’s generality and performance in diverse applications demonstrate its broad potential for integrated serological surveillance of infectious diseases.

Infectious Disease as a Foreign Policy Threat

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Katz ◽  
Erin Sorrell ◽  
Claire Standley
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Influenza Viruses ◽  
International Treaties ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The last 30 years have seen the global consequences of newly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, starting with the international spread of HIV/AIDS, the emergence of Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, SARS, MERS, novel influenza viruses, and most recently, the global spread of Zika. The impact of tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases on society are now better understood, including how these diseases influence the social, economic, and political environment in a nation. Despite international treaties and norms, the specter of intentional use of infectious disease remains present, particularly as technological barriers to access are reduced. The reality is that infectious diseases not only impact population health, but also have clear consequences for international security and foreign policy. Foreign policy has been used to coordinate response to infectious disease events and to advance population health around the world. Conversely, collaboration on infectious disease prevention, preparedness, and response has been used strategically by nations to advance diplomacy and improve foreign relations. Both approaches have become integral to foreign policy, and this chapter provides examples to elucidate how health and foreign policy have become intertwined and used with different levels of effectiveness by governments around the world. As the scope of this topic is extensive, this article primarily draws from U.S. examples for brevity’s sake, while acknowledging the truly global nature of the dynamic between infectious diseases and foreign policy, and noting that the interplay between them will vary between countries and regions. In 2014, U.S. President Barak Obama called upon global partners to, “change our mindsets and start thinking about biological threats as the security threats that they are—in addition to being humanitarian threats and economic threats. We have to bring the same level of commitment and focus to these challenges as we do when meeting around more traditional security issues”. With world leaders increasingly identifying disease as threats to security and economic stability, we are observing infectious diseases—like no other time in history—becoming an integral component of foreign policy.

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