Demographic, socioeconomic and environmental changes affecting circulation of neglected tropical diseases in Egypt

Abstract

Egypt has been plagued by many neglected tropical diseases since Pharaonic time. These diseases are Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis and fascioliasis beside the epidermal parasitic skin diseases. Indeed, theses diseases still persist as public health problem in the country by the influence of demographic, socioeconomic and environmental obstacles. This study seeks for understanding the contribution of each factor in each obstacle in neglected tropical diseases perpetuation which in turn could help the governorate in planning integrated control strategies. It was found that poverty, unregulated urbanization and inadequate sanitation are important socioeconomic factors that have great effect on the transmission dynamics of the diseases. The environmental factors which affect the epidemiology of these diseases in the country are scarcity of water, construction of dams, land reclamation for agriculture beside the climate factors. Unfortunately, the panic increase in the population growth rate minimizes the efforts done by the governorate to elevate the public health services. These conditions also affect the transmission of epidermal parasitic skin diseases including scabies, head lice and hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans. The control programs and the recommendations to combat the diseases were discussed. The present study showed that the ecological factors affecting each neglected tropical disease in Egypt are somewhat similar which makes it worthy to develop an integrated control approaches aiming at improving the leading factors of neglected tropical diseases circulation in the country.

The awareness of neglected tropical diseases in a sample of medical and nursing students in Cairo University, Egypt: A cross-sectional study

“…Egypt has the highest rates of NTDs in the Middle East and North Africa region; these diseases are endemic in Egypt since Pharaonic time [6]. NTDs include schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, fascioliasis, and the epidermal parasitic skin diseases.…”

“…NTDs include schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis, fascioliasis, and the epidermal parasitic skin diseases. Also, polyparasitism (multiple parasitic infections) is prevalent in Egypt and it magnifies the problem of NTDs by increasing the morbidity and susceptibility to other infections [6].…”

“…Despite the ongoing efforts to improve the socio-economic status, environmental sanitation, and ecology of the Egyptian community, much effort is still required [6]. An improvement in the tools diagnosing NTDs is needed to apply more sustainable effective treatment strategies at different stages of control, interruption of transmission, elimination, and postelimination surveillance.…”

Update on Filariasis in villages of Menshiat Al Qanater District, Giza Governorate, Egypt

“…It was noted that the capacity of the vector affects development of infective larvae and frequency of human-vector contact [2,49] . Low socioeconomic status, highly polluted fresh water, increased use of water with absence of proper human excreta disposal and presence of pit latrines favor breeding of C. pipiens and have led to flaring up of transmission in such areas [7,50] .…”

SterculiaandBrachychiton: a comprehensive overview on their ethnopharmacology, biological activities, phytochemistry and the role of their gummy exudates in drug delivery

“…[72] Antiparasitic activity Schistosomiasis constitutes the second important parasitic disease after malaria that causes chronic liver damage and harmfully affected 200 million people globally, mainly in Africa. [73,74] Nowadays, the management of schistosomiasis can be achieved by three synthetic drugs, namely praziquantel, metrifonate and oxamniquine, which possess some serious side effects. International governmental and private organizations urge scientific community to focus on finding efficient antiparasitic agents from natural products aiming to reach wider population with drugs possessing good safety profile.…”