Kealey Alison, Smith Robert
University of Ottawa, Canada.
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2010 Feb;21(1):53-69. doi: 10.1353/hpu.0.0270.
We survey the current state of a group of parasitic and microbial diseases called the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). These diseases currently infect a billion people, primarily in socioeconomically depressed areas of the world, are a leading cause of worldwide disability, and are responsible for approximately 534,000 deaths per year. We focus on several subcategories: protozoans, helminthes and bacterial diseases. We identify the populations most at risk from these diseases, and outline symptoms and other disease burdens. We examine the progress being made in controlling NTDs, including the current state of drug development. We also examine mathematical modeling of NTDs. While mathematical modeling is not bound by many of the strictures of access, data collection and infrastructure funding, we nevertheless demonstrate that few NTDs have received much attention from mathematical models, and that some have received no attention at all. Simple mathematical models could contribute significantly to our understanding of these diseases and the efforts required to control them, at very little cost. Further investment in prevention, treatment and awareness of NTDs is urgently warranted.
我们调查了一组被称为“被忽视的热带病”（NTDs）的寄生虫病和微生物病的现状。这些疾病目前感染了10亿人，主要分布在世界社会经济贫困地区，是全球致残的主要原因，每年导致约53.4万人死亡。我们关注几个子类别：原生动物、蠕虫和细菌疾病。我们确定了受这些疾病影响风险最高的人群，并概述了症状和其他疾病负担。我们研究了在控制被忽视的热带病方面所取得的进展，包括药物开发的现状。我们还研究了被忽视的热带病的数学模型。虽然数学建模不受许多获取、数据收集和基础设施资金方面的限制，但我们仍然表明，很少有被忽视的热带病受到数学模型的关注，有些甚至完全没有受到关注。简单的数学模型可以以极低的成本，极大地有助于我们理解这些疾病以及控制这些疾病所需的努力。迫切需要进一步投资于被忽视的热带病的预防、治疗和宣传。
