Tropical and Infectious Diseases

Tropical Bacterial Diseases

The major (NTBDs) neglected tropical bacterial diseases are Cholera, Leprosy, Trachoma, Buruli ulcer. Buruli ulcer and Leprosy are caused by members of the Mycobacterium genus Mycobacterium leprae and M. ulcerans and are responsible for most severe medical impact in the tropics and sub tropics. Trachoma is the result of infection of the eye with Chlamydia trachomatis and it is responsible for the visual impairment of about 1.8 million people, of whom 0.5 million are irreversibly blind. The dangerous infected disease is Buruli ulcer which is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The early stage of the infection is characterised by a painless nodule or area of swelling. This nodule can turn into an ulcer after some days. Buruli ulcers most commonly affect the arms or legs but here fever is uncommon. Leprosy is another bacterial infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This is also known as Hansen's disease (HD). The symptoms for this disease is that they develop include granulomas of the nerves, respiratory track, skin, and eyes.