Parasitic diseases: current and future challenges
Background:
• Parasitic diseases are the cause of massive loss of
income and increased morbidity in low-income
settings.
• Parasitic diseases are endemic to low- and middleincome countries, but are spreading globally.
• There is a lack of awareness and funding for action
on parasitic diseases.
Combined DALYs per 100,000 due selected parasitic diseases
Results
• Diagnosis: There is a scarcity of tools and trained staff in resource
poor settings.
• Treatment: There is limited access to effective/appropriate
treatments in endemic areas.
• Co-infections: Not enough is known about co-infections with other
diseases.
• Resistance: Increasing resistance due to limited expertise and
increased use chemotherapy in domesticated livestock is causing
difficulties in effective treatment.
• Funding/Awareness: There is a lack of innovation and investment
for parasitic disease.
• Economic impact/future workforce: Parasitic diseases have a
major impact on mental and growth retardation.
• Environmental and ecological factors: A lack of political will,
funding, climate change and environmental management present
hurdles in tackling parasitic infections.
• Eradication: Can be extremely difficult due to environmental
challenges.
Recommendations
• The London Declaration was an international pledge to target
parasitic diseases by:
• Increasing multi-sectoral collaboration.
• Increasing research and development.
• Increasing drug availability and provision.
• Mobilising funding.
• Improved surveillance is also required to manage outbreaks and
global spread.
• Parasitic lifecycles need to be considered in interventions e.g.
mapping infected water sources for Schistosomiasis (below).
Research and Development Funding for Selected
Disease 2010
$147,867,513
$73,685,406
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Kinetoplastids
Helminths
Selected parasitic diseases: malaria, Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, Schistosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, lymphatic
filariasis, Onchocerciasis, Ascariasis, Trichuriasis, and Hookworm disease.
Data source: WHO 2004.
$1,073,033,520
Aim
• To review current and future challenges facing parasitic diseases.
• To investigate the current achievements for the management and
control of parasitic diseases.
• To find targets for effective interventions.
$574,042,394
Data Source: Moran M, Guzman J, Abela Oversteegen L, Liyanage R, Omune B, Wu L, Chapman N, Gouglas D.
Neglected Diseases Reesearch and Development in innovation under threat. Policy Cures. 2011.
:
Methods
• An extensive literature review and analysis of the secondary data
available on the global burden of disease, epidemiology, diagnosis,
treatment, vector management and control of parasitic diseases.
Karolinska Institutet: Global Health Programme
Vittoria Crispino (vittoria.crispino@stud.ki.se); Louis Potter
(louis.potter@stud.ki.se); Chris Rausch
(christian.rausch@stud.ki.se); Gabriele Santi
(gabriele.santi@stud.ki.se); Alexandra Searle
(alexandra.searle@stud.ki.se); Remy Mengying
(mengying.ren@stud.ki.se).
Source: CDC.
What needs to be done
Greater awareness and political commitment needs
to be fostered in order to mobilise funding for
research, drug development and environmental
management of parasitic diseases.