Neglected tropical disease (NTDs)/progress towards elimination of NTDs

Question 1

what are neglected tropical diseases

Answer 1

they affect the poorest of the poor so they tend to be neglected and left untreated. These diseases include intestinal worms (hookworm and ascaris), schistosomiasis, river blindness, elephantiasis, leprosy, trachoma and sleeping sickness.

Question 2

what strategies are used against the diseases

Answer 2

For some diseases the strategy used is diagnosis and treatment (eg leprosy and sleeping sickness). For the others there are 4 drugs (Mectizan, Albendazole, Zithromax and Praziquantel), which between them are used widely to provide an annual mass treatment

Question 3

what do NTDs promote

Answer 3

poverty

Question 4

drugs to know for each NTD

Answer 4

Praziquantel - Schistosomiasis 
Albendazole - Helminths + LF 
Mebendazole - Helminths 
Mectizan (Ivermectin) - Onchocerciasis + LF 
Zithromax - Blinding trachoma

Question 5

kingdom of infections and examples

Answer 5

Protozoan infections –leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, chagas disease
Bacterial infections – leprosy, buruli ulcer, trachoma, endemic treponematoses
Helminth infections – schistosomiasis, ascariasis, hookworm infection, trichuriasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, dracunculiasis, cysticercosis, echinococcosis
Fungal infections – mycetoma, paracoccidiomycosis
Ectoparasitic infections – scabies, myiasis, tungiasis

Question 6

animal/insect vectors of NTDs

Answer 6

Schistosomiasis - Snails
Onchocerciasis - Blackfly
Lymphatic Filariasis - Mosquito

Question 7

Soil Transmitted Helminths

Answer 7

Ascariasis
Trichuriasis
Hookworm