Impacts of neglected tropical disease on incidence and progression of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria: scientific links

Abstract

The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are the most common infections of humans in Sub-Saharan Africa. Virtually all of the population living below the World Bank poverty figure is affected by one or more NTDs. New evidence indicates a high degree of geographic overlap between the highest-prevalence NTDs (soil-transmitted helminths, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and trachoma) and malaria and HIV, exhibiting a high degree of co-infection. Recent research suggests that NTDs can affect HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria disease progression. A combination of immunological, epidemiological, and clinical factors can contribute to these interactions and add to a worsening prognosis for people affected by HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. Together these results point to the impacts of the highest-prevalence NTDs on the health outcomes of malaria, HIV/AIDS, and TB and present new opportunities to design innovative public health interventions and strategies for these 'big three' diseases. This analysis describes the current findings of research and what research is still needed to strengthen the knowledge base of the impacts NTDs have on the big three.

Association between Taenia solium infection and HIV/AIDS in northern Tanzania: a matched cross sectional-study

“…This suggests the presence of co-infections in several predisposed countries. However, while HIV has been shown to interact with tuberculosis, malaria and some soil-transmitted parasitic infections [22–24], much less is known about how HIV modifies the manifestations of NCC. Not only may HIV modify clinical manifestations , but it may also impact the interpretation of sero-diagnostic results and required treatment schemes for NCC and taeniosis [25, 26].…”

Tracoma: de lo básico a lo clínico

“…Se afecta la conjuntiva tarsal, más gravemente la superior; al examen físico se evidencia un engrosamiento folicular y papilar de las glándulas por la acumulación subepitelial de células linfoides y cuerpos elementales (32,34). Estas se observan como pequeños puntos blancos o amarillos, que una vez resueltos dejan depresiones patognomónicas conocidas como pozos de Hebert y, en algunas ocasiones, pannus corneal (7,29,35). La fase activa más grave genera engrosamiento y edema de la conjuntiva (36).…”

“…La segunda fase se caracteriza por manifestaciones cicatriciales debidas a la inflamación conjuntival a repetición; inicialmente aparecen como pequeñas cicatrices en forma de estrella, que se van desarrollando a lo largo del tiempo y que, al contraerse, son responsables de la triquiasis y el entropión; este fenómeno genera abrasiones corneales dolorosas, edema, úlceras, cicatrización y por último opacidad corneal (7,25,33,34).…”

“…Asimismo, son una causa importante de morbimortalidad, pues afectan a más de mil millones de personas, generan 534 000 muertes y representaron en 2010 el 1 % de la carga mundial de Años de Vida Ajustados por Discapacidad (AVAD), sin contar la malaria (5,6). Se ha demostrado el incremento de la susceptibilidad al tracoma y el empeoramiento de su curso en personas infectadas con VIH, tuberculosis o malaria, lo que evidencia un vínculo notable entre el tracoma y otras enfermedades (7). Los principales desafíos que plantea el tracoma son su prevención, tratamiento y erradicación; esta última se ha iniciado con la administración masiva de azitromicina (8).…”

Estimating the Incidence of Water Related Diseases: the case of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Rural Nigeria

“…This is usually made up of the rural, subsistent farm families and the slum dwellers in overpopulate urban cities [8]; thus their management and treatment are largely neglected. In comparison to HIV/AIDS and malaria, the NTDs receive very little attention in terms of public health issues [12]; however, they have been known to aggravate the illnesses from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, [13]. NTDs reduce well-being in terms of health, social and economic development, intellectual development as well as national development.…”