Neglected tropical diseases: What are they as another World NTD Day comes and goes
On Thursday, January 30, we observed World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day 2025, described as “a day to raise the profile of NTDs, highlight the suffering they cause and garner support for their control, elimination or eradication”.
What are NTDs?
NTDs are devastating diseases that affect an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. These diseases disfigure, disable and can be fatal, causing immense suffering.
By most commonly affecting the world’s most isolated and marginalized communities, NTDs perpetuate poverty, keeping adults out of work and children out of school.
Here is a general list of NTDs: Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, Dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease), Echinococcosis, Foodborne trematodiases, Human African trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniases, Leprosy, Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), Onchocerciasis (river blindness), rabies, Schistosomiasis, Soil-transmitted helminthiases, Taeniasis and cysticercosis, trachoma, among some others.
I have done many podcasts and interviews on many of these NTDs, if interested check some of them out below:
Chagas disease and kissing bugs
Dengue 2019 and a look at 2020 and beyond
Guinea worm disease 2020 with the Carter Center’s Adam Weiss
Echinococcus in New Hampshire with Dr. Elizabeth Talbot
African Sleeping Sickness: A short Q&A with an ID physician
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis explosion: An interview with Dr Peter Hotez
Leprosy: An interview with Dr Richard Truman
Lymphatic filariasis in Nigeria: The battle against the disfiguring parasitic disease
World Rabies Day Livestream Special
Schistosomiasis: Only malaria is a more impactful parasitic disease
Parasites: Intestinal Roundworms (Nematodes)
Trachoma: The SAFE strategy, the successes and a look forward to elimination