Tropical diseases are diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by forcing hibernation. Insects such as mosquitoes and flies are by far the most common disease carrier, or vector. These insects may carry a parasite, bacterium or virus that is infectious to humans and animals. Most often disease is transmitted by an insect “bite”, which causes transmission of the infectious agent through subcutaneous blood exchange. Vaccines are not available for any of the diseases listed here.
In 1975 the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank and the World Health Organization established the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) to focus on neglected infectious diseases which disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, Central America and South America. The current TDR disease portfolio includes the following entries:
- Chagas disease
- (also called American trypanosomiasis) is a parasitic disease which occurs in the Americas, particularly in South America. Its pathogenic agent is a flagellate protozoan named Trypanosoma cruzi, which istransmitted mostly by blood-sucking assassin bugs, however other methods of transmission are possible, such as ingestion of food contaminated with parasites, blood transfusion and fetal transmission. Between 16 and 18 million people are currently infected.[6]
- Dengue
- Helminths
- African trypanosomiasis
- or sleeping sickness, is a parasitic disease, caused by protozoa called trypansomes. The two responsible for African trypanosomiasis are Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.These parasites are transmitted by the tsetse fly
- Leishmaniasis
- caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, and transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly.
- Leprosy†
- (or Hansen’s disease) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions are the primary external symptom. Left untreated, leprosy can be progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. Contrary to popular conception, leprosy does not cause body parts to simply fall off, and it differs from tzaraath, the malady described in the Hebrew scriptures and previously translated into English as leprosy.
- Lymphatic filariasis
- is a parasitic disease caused by thread-like parasitic filarial worms called nematode worms, all transmitted by mosquitoes. Loa loa is another filarial parasite transmitted by the deer fly. 120 million people are infected worldwide. It is carried by over half the population in the most severe endemic areas. The most noticeable symptom is elephantiasis: a thickening of the skin and underlying tissues. Elephantiasis is caused by chronic infection by filarial worms in the lymph nodes. This clogs the lymph nodes and slows the draining of lymph fluid from a portion of the body.
- Malaria
- Caused by a Protozoan parasites transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, as they are the blood-feeders. The disease is caused by species of the genus Plasmodium. Malaria infects 300-500 million people each year, killing more than 1 million.
- Onchocerciasis
- (pronounced /ɒŋkoʊsɜrˈsaɪ.əsɪs/) or river blindness is the world’s second leading infectious cause of blindness. It is caused by Onchocerca volvulus, a parasitic worm. It is transmitted through the bite of a black fly. The worms spread throughout the body, and when they die, they cause intense itching and a strong immune system response that can destroy nearby tissue, such as the eye. About 18 million people are currently infected with this parasite. Approximately 300,000 have been irreversibly blinded by it.
- Schistosomiasis
- (pronounced /ˌʃɪstoʊsɵˈmaɪ.əsɪs/) also known as schisto or snail fever, is a parasitic disease caused by several species of flatworm in areas with freshwater snails, which may carry the parasite. The most common form of transmission is by wading or swimming in lakes, ponds and other bodies of water containing the snails and the parasite. More than 200 million people worldwide are infected by schistosomiasis.
- Sexually transmitted infections
- TB/HIV coinfection
- Tuberculosis†
- (abbreviated as TB), is a bacterial infection of the lungs or other tissues, which is highly prevalent in the world, with mortality over 50% if untreated. It is a communicable disease, transmitted by aerosolexpectorant from a cough, sneeze, speak, kiss, or spit. Over one-third of the world’s population has been infected by the TB bacterium.
Some of the strategies for controlling tropical diseases include:
- Draining wetlands to reduce populations of insects and other vectors.
- The application of insecticides and/or insect repellents) to strategic surfaces such as: clothing, skin, buildings, insect habitats, and bed nets.
- The use of a mosquito net over a bed (also known as a “bed net”) to reduce nighttime transmission, since certain species of tropical mosquitoes feed mainly at night.
- Use of water wells, and/or water filtration, water filters, or water treatment with water tablets to produce drinking water free of parasites.
- Development and use of vaccines to promote disease immunity.
- Pharmacologic pre-exposure prophylaxis (to prevent disease before exposure to the environment and/or vector).
- Pharmacologic post-exposure prophylaxis (to prevent disease after exposure to the environment and/or vector).
- Pharmacologic treatment (to treat disease after infection or infestation).
- Assisting with economic development in endemic regions. For example by providing microloans to enable investments in more efficient and productive agriculture. This in turn can help subsistence farming to become more profitable, and these profits can be used by local populations for disease prevention and treatment, with the added benefit of reducing the poverty rate.
Source: Wiki
