Rickettsial infections: A blind spot in our view of neglected tropical diseases
Date
2021
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Article
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Abstract
Rickettsial diseases are a group of vector-borne bacterial infections that cause acute febrile illness with potentially severe or fatal complications. These vector-borne diseases are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide and disproportionately affect poorer communities but are scientifically underrecognized. Despite this, they are not included in the World Health Organization's list of neglected tropical diseases nor were they mentioned in Peter Hotez's recent reflections on "What constitutes a neglected tropical disease?" in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases [1]. Here we present the case that rickettsial infections, as an overlooked cause of morbidity, mortality, and economic losses in marginalized populations, should be recognized as neglected tropical diseases. We describe how this oversight is the result of a number of factors and how it negatively impacts patient outcomes. We then propose measures to address the neglect of rickettsial infections in both scientific research and public health interventions.
Description
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Citation
Salje J, Weitzel T, Newton PN, Varghese GM, Day N. Rickettsial infections: A blind spot in our view of neglected tropical diseases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 May 13;15(5):e0009353. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009353
Keywords
Neglected Diseases / microbiology, Neglected Diseases / pathology, Poverty / statistics & numerical data, Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology, Rickettsia Infections / microbiology, Tropical Medicine