Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of twenty parasitic, bacterial, fungal, viral and protozoan infections, in addition to envenoming. They affect over one billion people of the world’s most marginalised people.
NTDs are most common in tropical and subtropical regions where access to clean water, sanitation, adequate housing and health services may be limited.
The epidemiology of NTDs is complex; some have animal and/or human reservoirs, many are vector-borne, and most are associated with intricate life cycles. This complexity makes NTDs difficult to prevent and eliminate without coordinated, long‑term action.
The World Health Organization defines 21 NTDs, including:
People affected by parasitic infections experience long term adverse health and educational outcomes. Parasitic infections can harm a child’s physical development and ability to learn at school, limiting future opportunities. Adults affected may be unable to work or earn a stable income. Some diseases, such as lymphatic filariasis, can cause severe swelling and disfigurement, leading to stigma, social exclusion and poor mental health.
Together, these impacts reinforce cycles of poverty, even though many NTDs are entirely preventable or treatable.
The word ‘neglected’ is used because these diseases generally affect people who are underserved and marginalised, lacking access to basic services, and whose political influence may be limited. This results in the neglect of these diseases in domestic and global health agendas, in terms of political prioritisation and resource allocation.
The World Health Organization NTD road map for 2021-2030 sets out ambitious targets, aligned with those of the Sustainable Development Goals, for tackling many of these diseases.
As outlined in the road map, addressing NTDs requires a comprehensive approach, working across different sectors including health, water, sanitation, environment, behaviour, vector control and veterinary public health. Subsequently, the global strategy on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and NTDs and the One Health approach for action against NTDs demonstrate how other essential components for elimination of NTDs can be achieved in practice.
To succeed, NTD programmes are shifting away from funding and delivering disease-specific interventions in isolation, towards inclusion in existing health services. Find out how we are working with our ministry of health partners to encourage cross-sectoral collaboration and country-owned solutions that eliminate preventable infections in our 2023 – 2028 strategy.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as parasitic infections can cause long term health and educational outcomes, making it difficult to earn a living and limiting productivity in school and at work.
Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia or ‘snail fever’, is a disease caused by parasites (worms called schistosomes) carried by freshwater snails.
Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a disease manifestation of schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium, a waterborne parasite that affects the urinary and genital tract of infected individuals.
Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are infections caused by intestinal parasites. These infections are among the most common worldwide, and affect the poorest and most marginalised communities.
Parasitic worm infections include schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections.
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