Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024 Jul 11;18(7):e0012276. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012276. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a severe and extraordinarily lethal infectious disease, has emerged as a widespread public health crisis among predominantly vulnerable populations in several countries of Latin America, particularly evident in northern Mexico. Historically, RMSF has gained less attention than many other tropical infectious diseases, resulting in insufficient allocations of resources and development of capabilities for its prevention and control in endemic regions. We argue that RMSF fulfills accepted criteria for a neglected tropical disease (NTD). The relative neglect of RMSF in most Latin American countries contributes to disparities in morbidity and mortality witnessed in this region. By recognizing RMSF as an NTD, an increased public policy interest, equitable and more appropriate allocation of resources, scientific interest, and social participation can ameliorate the impact of this potentially treatable disease, particularly in vulnerable populations.
落矶山斑点热（RMSF）是一种严重且极具致命性的传染病，在拉丁美洲的几个国家中，尤其是在墨西哥北部，已成为弱势群体中广泛存在的公共卫生危机。从历史上看，RMSF 受到的关注不如许多其他热带传染病多，导致在流行地区对其预防和控制的资源分配和能力建设不足。我们认为 RMSF 符合被忽视热带病（NTD）的公认标准。大多数拉丁美洲国家对 RMSF 的相对忽视导致了该地区发病率和死亡率的差异。通过将 RMSF 确认为 NTD，可以提高公共政策的关注度、公平和更合理地分配资源、引起科学界的兴趣以及促进社会参与，从而减轻这种潜在可治疗疾病的影响，特别是在弱势群体中。
