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

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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..

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

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