Tropical and Infectious Diseases

Socio-economic impact of NTD

Neglected Tropical Diseases are not only responsible for the decrease in health and life expectancy, but also leads to dire economic consequences. The 5 prevalent NTDs are lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths (ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infection) and trachoma. Studies reveal that over 40% of the population that currently lives in the tropics have high potential for NTD. The factors that cause high prevalence of NTDs include ecology, environmental factors, and lack of adequate public health efforts. Poverty also plays a strong role in the prevalence of NTDs, specifically by its social expression like substandard housing conditions, lack of access to safe and hygiene water, and poor environmental sanitation . A major determinant of risk for NTD transmission is poor housing which can obstruct and complicate vector control efforts, leading to increased exposure to diseases such as dengue, chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and lymphatic filariasis. Poor sanitation due to inadequate garbage disposal/collection can also result in breeding sites for many vectors which may result of spreading infectious diseases.