Infectious corneal ulceration: a proposal for neglected tropical disease status

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2019-12, Vol.97 (12), p.854-856
• Main Authors: Ung, Lawson, Acharya, Nisha R, Agarwal, Tushar, Alfonso, Eduardo C, Bagga, Bhupesh, Bispo, Paulo Jm, Burton, Matthew J, Dart, John Kg, Doan, Thuy, Fleiszig, Suzanne Mj, Garg, Prashant, Gilmore, Michael S, Gritz, David C, Hazlett, Linda D, Iovieno, Alfonso, Jhanji, Vishal, Kempen, John H, Lee, Cecilia S, Lietman, Thomas M, Margolis, Todd P, McLeod, Stephen D, Mehta, Jod S, Miller, Darlene, Pearlman, Eric, Prajna, Lalitha, Prajna, N Venkatesh, Seitzman, Gerami D, Shanbhag, Swapna S, Sharma, Namrata, Sharma, Savitri, Srinivasan, Muthiah, Stapleton, Fiona, Tan, Donald Th, Tandon, Radhika, Taylor, Hugh R, Tu, Elmer Y, Tuli, Sonal S, Vajpayee, Rasik B, Van Gelder, Russell N, Watson, Stephanie L, Zegans, Michael E, Chodosh, James
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acknowledgment; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Bacterial Infections - complications; Community; Complications; Cornea; Corneal Ulcer - drug therapy; Corneal Ulcer - etiology; Corneal Ulcer - prevention & control; Developing Countries; Diplomacy; Disease prevention; Epidemiology; Global Health; Health aspects; Health Promotion - organization & administration; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; LDCs; Leprosy; Leprosy - complications; Low income groups; Malaria; Medical research; Medicine; Morbidity; Mortality; Neglected Diseases - epidemiology; Onchocerciasis; Onchocerciasis, Ocular - complications; Ophthalmology; Optometry; Partnerships; Public health; Recognition; Social isolation; Stigma; Sustainable development; Trachoma; Trachoma - complications; Tropical diseases; Tuberculosis; Ulcers; Vector-borne diseases; Viruses; Workers
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.2471/blt.19.232660

In ophthalmology, the designation of trachoma, onchocerciasis and leprosy as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has sustained efforts to combat these blinding conditions worldwide. Over the past 50 years, NTD designations have enabled the joining of political, social and economic forces to promote research and interventions for diseases that overwhelmingly affect the 3 billion people who subsist on less than 2 United States dollars (US$) a day. The global public health landscape is still dominated by focus on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis and malaria. However, NTDs are now increasingly recognized as important causes of morbidity and mortality in low-income settings, perpetuating stigma and social isolation, with many NTDs leading to disfiguring complications. In international public health diplomacy, formal disease recognition is essential. The pursuit of this recognition drives proposals from World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Member States to include additional diseases in the list of NTDs. The intention is to strengthen the development of partnerships, epidemiological frameworks and commitment of resources to achieve the aims set by the sustainable development goals