Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases: The Neglected Tropical Diseases and Their Impact on Global Health and Development » (1st Edition)

Some of the worst tropical diseases in the world have too long been ignored. Parasitic and bacterial diseases such as hookworm, snail fever, river blindness, guinea worm, elephantiasis, sleeping sickness, and leprosy are the most common infections of third-world populations. These neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent one of the most important reasons why populations living in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America remain caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, stigma, and despair.
With a lifetime devoted to the subject of tropical diseases, the well-known expert Dr. Peter Hotez provides a comprehensive view of these forgotten diseases. Written in accessible, straightforward language, Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases thoroughly explains the most significant NTDs, including social and economic aspects, public health concerns, and preventative measures.
This volume will raise public awareness about these forgotten diseases and their enormous physical, social, and economic costs to individuals and nations alike. Advocating for the largely voiceless victims of the NTDs, Dr. Hotez also provides a roadmap to coordinate global advocacy and mobilization of resources to combat these conditions.

KEY FEATURES

• Authored by one of the world's leading experts on the NTDs

• Conveys important information about this critical global health problem in non-technical language

• Details the biological, social, and economic aspects of these diseases

• Explains the links between global health and international economic development

• Provides information on individuals, companies, and foundations involved in advocacy forthe NTDs

• Includes extensive illustrations and references for further reading

Ch. 1 Introduction to the neglected tropical diseases 1

Ch. 2 "The unholy trinity" : the soil-transmitted Helminth infections ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infection 13

Ch. 3 Schistosomiasis (snail fever) 29

Ch. 4 The filarial infections : lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and dracunculiasis (guinea worm) 39

Ch. 5 The blinding neglected tropical diseases : onchocerciasis (river blindness) and trachoma 55

Ch. 6 The mycobacterial infections : Buruli ulcer and leprosy 69

Ch. 7 The kinetoplastid infections : human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Chagas' disease, and the leishmaniases 81

Ch. 8 The urban neglected tropical diseases : leptospirosis, dengue, and rabies 103

Ch. 9 The neglected tropical diseases of North America 113

Ch. 10 The global network for neglected tropical disease control 127

Ch. 11 Future trends in control of neglected tropical diseases and the antipoverty vaccines 143

Ch. 12 Repairing the world 157

App What are the neglected tropical diseases? 164

Notes 167

References 183

Index 207