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Health Research Policy and Systems Aug 2022Academic research is one of the main avenues through which humans can fight the threat of infectious diseases. However, there have been concerns regarding whether the...
BACKGROUND
Academic research is one of the main avenues through which humans can fight the threat of infectious diseases. However, there have been concerns regarding whether the academic system has provided sufficient efforts to fight infectious diseases we potentially face. Answering these questions could contribute to evidence-based recommendations for setting research priorities and third-mission policies.
METHODS
With a focus on one of the most common categories of communicable diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases (IPDs), we searched Web of Science for articles and reviews relevant to IPDs published during the period 2000-2019 and retrieved WHO data on disease burden in corresponding years. The academic response patterns were explored by IPD subcategory and by human development level (an index established by the United Nations). We conduct the analysis in particular to gain insight into the dynamic relationship between disease burden and research effort on IPDs, scientific efforts contributed by countries with different development levels, and the variation trends in international joint efforts.
RESULTS
The greatest burden of IPDs is clustered in the developing regions of Africa, but has received academic response from both developed and developing countries. Highly developed countries dominate the ranks of academic research in this area, yet there is also a clear increase in research efforts from the countries most affected, despite their low human development scale. In fact, the overall analysis reveals an improved capability for addressing local problems from African regions. In terms of international collaboration, highly developed countries such as the United States and United Kingdom have commonly collaborated with needy regions, whereas prolific but developing nations, like China, have not.
CONCLUSIONS
From a global perspective, academia has positively responded to health needs caused by IPDs. Although the relevant research output contribution is primarily from the highly developed countries, concentrated and specialized efforts from the undeveloped regions to ease their local burden can be clearly observed. Our findings also indicate a tendency to focus more on local health needs for both developed and undeveloped regions. The insights revealed in this study should benefit a more informed and systemic plan of research priorities.
Topics: China; Communicable Diseases; Cost of Illness; Humans; Parasitic Diseases; Publications
PubMed: 35964031
DOI: 10.1186/s12961-022-00889-0 -
Microbiology Spectrum Aug 2015Arthropod-borne diseases are a major problem whenever outdoor activities bring arthropods and people into contact. The arthropods discussed here include arachnids... (Review)
Review
Arthropod-borne diseases are a major problem whenever outdoor activities bring arthropods and people into contact. The arthropods discussed here include arachnids (ticks) and insects. Most arthropod bites and stings are minor, with the notable exception being bee-sting anaphylaxis. Ticks cause the most disease transmission. Key hard tick vectors include black-legged (Ixodes), dog (Dermacentor), and lone star (Amblyomma) ticks, which transmit Lyme and various rickettsial diseases. Insect repellents, permethrin sprays, and proper tick inspection reduce this risk significantly. Lyme disease and the milder southern-tick-associated rash illness (STARI) are characterized by the erythema migrans rash followed, in the case of Lyme disease, by early, disseminated, and late systemic symptoms. Treatment is with doxycycline or ceftriaxone. Indefinite treatment of "chronic Lyme disease" based on subjective symptoms is not beneficial. Rickettsial diseases include ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which are characterized by fever, headache, and possible rash and should be empirically treated with doxycycline while awaiting laboratory confirmation. Tularemia is a bacterial disease (Francisella) spread by ticks and rabbits and characterized by fever and adenopathy. Treatment is with gentamicin or streptomycin. Babesiosis is a protozoal disease, mimicking malaria, that causes a self-limited flu-like disease in healthy hosts but can be life threatening with immune compromise. Treatment is with atovaquone and azithromycin. Other tick-related conditions include viral diseases (Powassan, Colorado tick fever, heartland virus), tick-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia), and tick paralysis (toxin). Mosquitoes, lice, fleas, and mites are notable for their annoying bites but are increasingly significant disease vectors even in the United States.
Topics: Animals; Arthropods; Bacterial Infections; Camping; Disease Vectors; Humans; Parasitic Diseases; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 26350321
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.IOL5-0001-2014 -
The Korean Journal of Parasitology Oct 2018Korea is successfully controlled intestinal parasitic infections owing to economic development and high health consciousness. The Division of Vectors and Parasitic... (Review)
Review
Korea is successfully controlled intestinal parasitic infections owing to economic development and high health consciousness. The Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases (formerly the Division of Malaria and Parasitology) is in the Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Diseases of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has been the governmental agency responsible for controlling and leading scientific research on parasitic diseases. The Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases has conducted and funded basic research and disseminated the research results to various medical fields, ultimately promoting public health in Korea. Among the noteworthy achievements of this division are the national surveillance of healthcare-associated parasitic infections, prevention and control for parasitic infections, and the elimination of lymphatic filariasis from Korea. On a broader scale, the division's research programs and academic supports were influential in preventing and treating infectious parasitic diseases through public policies and laws. In this review, we summarize the past and present role of the Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases in preventing and treating infectious parasitic diseases in Korea.
Topics: Animals; Disease Outbreaks; Elephantiasis, Filarial; Government Agencies; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Parasitic Diseases; Republic of Korea; Research; Travel
PubMed: 30419725
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2018.56.5.401 -
Acta Tropica Aug 2019Fascioliasis has emerged as a significant public health problem among ruminants and humans. Human fascioliasis is a neglected food-borne parasitic disease, which has... (Review)
Review
Fascioliasis has emerged as a significant public health problem among ruminants and humans. Human fascioliasis is a neglected food-borne parasitic disease, which has emerged or reemerged in more than 60 countries worldwide. In China, the first case of human fascioliasis was reported in 1921 in Fujian Province. The first major outbreak of this parasitic disease in 29 patients occurred in 2012 in Yunnan Province. Nonetheless, the prevalence of fascioliasis in China is probably underestimated due to the poor sensitivity of diagnostic tests, limited epidemiological data, and a poor understanding of the impact of subclinical illness. This study aimed to review the prevalence and risk factors of fascioliasis in China so as to improve the prevention and control of this disease.
Topics: Animals; China; Disease Outbreaks; Fascioliasis; Humans; Prevalence; Risk Factors
PubMed: 31077642
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.05.007 -
Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases... Apr 2019Bites with tick-borne pathogens can cause various bacterial, viral, or parasitic diseases in humans. Tick-transmitted diseases are known as contributing factors to the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Bites with tick-borne pathogens can cause various bacterial, viral, or parasitic diseases in humans. Tick-transmitted diseases are known as contributing factors to the increasing incidence and burden of diseases. The present article investigated the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in South Korea.
METHODS
The incidence and distribution of common tick-borne diseases in Korea (Lyme disease, Q fever, and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome [SFTS]) were investigated and analyzed, using data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) infectious disease reporting system. A literature review was compiled on the current status of uncommon tick-borne diseases (Rickettsia, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, bartonellosis, tularemia, tick-borne encephalitis, and babesiosis).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
In South Korea, SFTS is an emerging disease, showing a rapid increase in reports since 2012, with high mortality. Likewise, reports of Lyme disease and Q fever cases have also been rapidly increasing during 2012-2017, although caution should be taken when interpreting these results, considering the likely influence of increased physician awareness and reporting of these diseases. Other tick-borne diseases reported in South Korea included spotted fever group rickettsiae, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Bartonella, and babesiosis. Evidences on human infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever were recently unavailable, but both need constant monitoring.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Infections; Humans; Parasitic Diseases; Republic of Korea; Tick-Borne Diseases; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 30328790
DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2298 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Many parasitic diseases (including cerebral malaria, human African trypanosomiasis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, neurocysticercosis and neuroschistosomiasis) feature acute or... (Review)
Review
Many parasitic diseases (including cerebral malaria, human African trypanosomiasis, cerebral toxoplasmosis, neurocysticercosis and neuroschistosomiasis) feature acute or chronic brain inflammation processes, which are often associated with deregulation of glial cell activity and disruption of the brain blood barrier's intactness. The inflammatory responses of astrocytes and microglia during parasite infection are strongly influenced by a variety of environmental factors. Although it has recently been shown that the gut microbiota influences the physiology and immunomodulation of the central nervous system in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's, the putative link in parasite-induced neuroinflammatory diseases has not been well characterized. Likewise, the central nervous system can influence the gut microbiota. In parasite infections, the gut microbiota is strongly perturbed and might influence the severity of the central nervous system inflammation response through changes in the production of bacterial metabolites. Here, we review the roles of astrocytes and microglial cells in the neuropathophysiological processes induced by parasite infections and their possible regulation by the gut microbiota.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Neuroinflammatory Diseases; Central Nervous System; Inflammation; Malaria, Cerebral
PubMed: 36569929
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1024998 -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... Nov 2017Allergic diseases are on the increase globally in parallel with a decrease in parasitic infection. The inverse association between parasitic infections and allergy at an... (Review)
Review
Allergic diseases are on the increase globally in parallel with a decrease in parasitic infection. The inverse association between parasitic infections and allergy at an ecological level suggests a causal association. Studies in human subjects have generated a large knowledge base on the complexity of the interrelationship between parasitic infection and allergy. There is evidence for causal links, but the data from animal models are the most compelling: despite the strong type 2 immune responses they induce, helminth infections can suppress allergy through regulatory pathways. Conversely, many helminths can cause allergic-type inflammation, including symptoms of "classical" allergic disease. From an evolutionary perspective, subjects with an effective immune response against helminths can be more susceptible to allergy. This narrative review aims to inform readers of the most relevant up-to-date evidence on the relationship between parasites and allergy. Experiments in animal models have demonstrated the potential benefits of helminth infection or administration of helminth-derived molecules on chronic inflammatory diseases, but thus far, clinical trials in human subjects have not demonstrated unequivocal clinical benefits. Nevertheless, there is sufficiently strong evidence to support continued investigation of the potential benefits of helminth-derived therapies for the prevention or treatment of allergic and other inflammatory diseases.
Topics: Allergens; Allergy and Immunology; Animals; Antigens, Helminth; Clinical Trials as Topic; Disease Models, Animal; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Immunomodulation; Parasitic Diseases; Therapy with Helminths
PubMed: 29108604
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.09.005 -
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2023
Topics: Humans; Parasitic Diseases; Helminthiasis; Drug Discovery; Neglected Diseases; Antiparasitic Agents
PubMed: 37254528
DOI: 10.2174/156802662309230522141052 -
Acta Tropica Dec 2019China was once a country plagued by parasitic diseases. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, nearly 80% of the population suffered from... (Review)
Review
China was once a country plagued by parasitic diseases. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, nearly 80% of the population suffered from parasitic diseases because of poverty and poor sanitary conditions. After nearly 70 years of development, China has made remarkable achievements in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases, and the prevalence of parasitic diseases has been greatly reduced. In addition to organizational leadership from the government and various preventive measures, drug treatment and drug research & development are important and irreplaceable links in prevention and control work. Since the 1950s, China has begun to introduce, produce and imitate antiparasitic drugs from abroad, such as santonin, benzimidazole, and praziquantel. Chinese scientists have also contributed to the optimization of production techniques, improvements in drug formulation, the application in the clinic and the mechanisms of actions of generic drugs. At the same time, China has independently developed tribendimidine (TrBD, a broad spectrum anthelminthic), and its anthelminthic spectrum has been comprehensively studied. It is active against almost 20 parasites, is especially superior to benzimidazoles against Necator americanus, and surpasses the effectiveness of praziquantel against Clonorchis sinensis. In the treatment of tapeworm disease, the traditional Chinese medicines pumpkin seeds and betel nuts have good curative effects for taeniasis. Chinese scientists have explored the action modes and clinical administration methods of pumpkin seeds and betel nuts, which is still the main clinical regimen for the disease. This paper reviews the history and progress of the study of anthelmintics in intestinal helminth infections since the founding of the People's Republic of China and aiming to support clinicians and drug researchers in China and other countries.
Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Cestode Infections; China; Clonorchis sinensis; Helminthiasis; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Parasitic Diseases; Phenylenediamines; Praziquantel; Taeniasis
PubMed: 31542370
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105181 -
EBioMedicine Feb 2017Cancer may be induced by many environmental and physiological conditions. Infections with viruses, bacteria and parasites have been recognized for years to be associated... (Review)
Review
Cancer may be induced by many environmental and physiological conditions. Infections with viruses, bacteria and parasites have been recognized for years to be associated with human carcinogenicity. Here we review current concepts of carcinogenicity and its associations with parasitic infections. The helminth diseases schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis, and clonorchiasis are highly carcinogenic while the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causing agent of Chagas disease, has a dual role in the development of cancer, including both carcinogenic and anticancer properties. Although malaria per se does not appear to be causative in carcinogenesis, it is strongly associated with the occurrence of endemic Burkitt lymphoma in areas holoendemic for malaria. The initiation of Plasmodium falciparum related endemic Burkitt lymphoma requires additional transforming events induced by the Epstein-Barr virus. Observations suggest that Strongyloides stercoralis may be a relevant co-factor in HTLV-1-related T cell lymphomas. This review provides an overview of the mechanisms of parasitic infection-induced carcinogenicity.
Topics: Animals; Carcinogenesis; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Neoplasms; Parasitic Diseases
PubMed: 27956028
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.11.034