This is the first study reporting global data on AMR in leprosy. Rifampicin resistance emerged, stressing the need for expansion of surveillance. This is also a call for vigilance on the global use of antimicrobial agents, because ofloxacin resistance probably developed in relation to the general intake of antibiotics for other infections as it is not part of the multidrug combination used to treat leprosy.

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The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which affect the very poor, pose a major public health problem in the SouthEast Asia Region of the World Health Organization (WHO). Although more than a dozen NTDs affect the region, over the past five years four of them in particular -leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) and yaws -have been targeted for elimination. These four were selected for a number of reasons. First, they affect the WHO South-East Asia Region disproportionately. For example, every year around 67% of all new leprosy cases and 60% of all new cases of visceral leishmaniasis worldwide occur in countries of the region, where as many as 850 million inhabitants are at risk of contracting lymphatic filariasis. In addition, several epidemiological, technological and historical factors that are unique to the region make each of these four diseases amenable to elimination. Safe and effective tools and interventions to achieve these targets are available and concerted efforts to scale them up, singly or in an integrated manner, are likely to lead to success. The World Health Assembly and the WHO Regional Committee, through a series of resolutions, have already expressed regional and global commitments for the elimination of these diseases as public health problems. Such action is expected to have a quick and dramatic impact on poverty reduction and to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. This paper reviews the policy rationale for disease control in the WHO South-East Asia Region, the progress made so far, the lessons learnt along the way, and the remaining challenges and opportunities.Une traduction en français de ce résumé figure à la fin de l'article. Al final del artículo se facilita una traducción al español. ‫املقالة.‬ ‫لهذه‬ ‫الكامل‬ ‫النص‬ ‫نهاية‬ ‫يف‬ ‫الخالصة‬ ‫لهذه‬ ‫العربية‬ ‫الرتجمة‬

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Diseases transmitted from animals have assumed substantial public health importance. Avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and Nipah virus infection are a few examples of growing number of diseases that humans can contract from animals. These diseases can cause huge economic losses in addition to mortality and morbidity. In developing countries of Asia, there is a continuous and close contact between animals and humans, especially in rural settings. The prevailing sociocultural practices and weak public health infrastructure further enhances the vulnerability of Asia as the epicenter of outbreaks due to zoonotic infections. There is a clear need of greater awareness and application of a multisectoral and multidisciplinary approach to prevent and control zoonotic infections.

The burden of dengue and its potential threat to global health are now globally recognized, with 2.5 billion people at risk worldwide. The pathogenesis of severe dengue is particularly intriguing with the involvement of different immune factors. Also, the epidemiology of dengue in South-East Asia is undergoing a change in the human host, the dengue virus and the vector bionomics. Shift in affected age groups, sex differences and expansion to rural areas are evident, while the virulence and genotype of the virus determine the severity and time interval between sequential infections. The Aedes mosquito, a potent and adaptive vector, has evolved in longevity and survival, affected by seasonality and climate variability, socio-cultural and economic factors of human habitation and development. This review provides insights into the changing epidemiology and its factors in South-East Asia, one of the most important epicentres of dengue in the world, highlighting the major factors influencing these rapid changes. Addressing the changes may help mitigate the challenges in the current dengue control and prevention efforts.

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