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Article
Open AccessTreatment and prevention of epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic areas is urgently needed
There is increasing epidemiological evidence supporting the association between onchocerciasis and seizures, reinforcing the concept of onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE). The aim of this paper is to pro...
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Article
Open AccessThe pipeline for drugs for control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases: 2. Oral anti-infective drugs and drug combinations for off-label use
In its ‘Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030’, the World Health Organization outlined its targets for control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and research needed to achieve ...
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Article
Open AccessTropical leg lymphedema caused by podoconiosis is associated with increased colonisation by anaerobic bacteria
The non-filarial and non-communicable disease podoconiosis affects around 4 million people and is characterized by severe leg lymphedema accompanied with painful intermittent acute inflammatory episodes, calle...
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Open AccessAnalysis of the cervical microbiome in women from the German national cervical cancer screening program
Cervical cancer (CC) is caused by a persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection. The cervico-vaginal microbiome may influence the development of (pre)cancer lesions. Aim of the study was (i) to...
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Open AccessPhenotypical characterization, and antibiotics susceptibility patterns of skin bacteria found in podoconiosis patients in the North West Region of Cameroon
Podoconiosis, a non-infectious disease originating from long-term exposure of bare feet to irritant red clay soil is a lifelong, disabling disease with no specific diagnostic tool, classified into 5 stages bas...
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Article
Open AccessThe pipeline for drugs for control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases: 1. Anti-infective drugs for regulatory registration
The World Health Organization ‘Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: A road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030’ outlines the targets for control and elimination of neglecte...
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Article
Open AccessThe viability of utilising phone-based text messages in data capture and reporting morbidities due to lymphatic Filariasis by community health workers: a qualitative study in Kilwa district, Tanzania
Globally, there is recognition of the value of using mobile phones among health providers in improving health systems performance. However, in many Low- and Middle-income countries where there is shortage of h...
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Open AccessHelminth antigens differentially modulate the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes of convalescent COVID-19 patients in vitro
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a recently discovered strain of coronavirus. The virus has spread rapidly, causing millions of death worldwide. Contrary t...
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Article
Open AccessA qPCR to quantify Wolbachia from few Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae as a surrogate for adult worm histology in clinical trials of antiwolbachial drugs
The filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus causes onchocerciasis (river blindness), a neglected tropical disease affecting 21 million people, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Targeting the endosymbiont Wolbachia with...
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Lymphatic and Tissue Filariasis
The range and burden of neglected tropical diseases, many of which are helminth-derived, remains enormous. Infections are rampant in poor districts, and although efforts have been implemented over the years, t...
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Article
Open AccessHuman filariasis—contributions of the Litomosoides sigmodontis and Acanthocheilonema viteae animal model
Filariae are vector-borne parasitic nematodes that are endemic worldwide, in tropical and subtropical regions. Important human filariae spp. include Onchocerca volvulus, Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia spp., and
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Article
Towards the sustainable discovery and development of new antibiotics
An ever-increasing demand for novel antimicrobials to treat life-threatening infections caused by the global spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens stands in stark contrast to the current level of i...
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Open AccessUrine metabolites for the identification of Onchocerca volvulus infections in patients from Cameroon
The tropical disease onchocerciasis (river blindness), caused by Onchocerca volvulus filarial nematodes, is targeted for elimination by mass treatment with nematocidal and antimicrobial drugs. Diagnosis of O. vol...
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Article
Open AccessRapid diagnostic test negative Plasmodium falciparum malaria in a traveller returning from Ethiopia
Plasmodium falciparum strains with mutations/deletions of the genes encoding the histidine-rich proteins 2/3 (pfhrp2/3) have emerged during the last 10 years leading to false-negative results in HRP2-based rapid ...
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Open AccessCorrection to: Differential susceptibility of Onchocerca volvulus microfilaria to ivermectin in two areas of contrasting history of mass drug administration in Cameroon: relevance of microscopy and molecular techniques for the monitoring of skin microfilarial repopulation within six months of direct observed treatment
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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Article
Open AccessValidation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the detection of Loa loa infection in Chrysops spp in experimental and natural field conditions
The mass drug administration of ivermectin for onchocerciasis control has contributed to a significant drop in Loa loa microfilaria loads in humans that has, in turn, led to reduction of infection levels in Chrys...
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Article
Open AccessSulfadiazine plasma concentrations in women with pregnancy-acquired compared to ocular toxoplasmosis under pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine therapy: a case–control study
Dosing recommendations for the treatment of pregnancy-acquired toxoplasmosis are empirical and widely based on experimental data. There are no pharmacological data on pregnant women with acute Toxoplasma gondii i...
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Article
Open AccessDifferential susceptibility of Onchocerca volvulus microfilaria to ivermectin in two areas of contrasting history of mass drug administration in Cameroon: relevance of microscopy and molecular techniques for the monitoring of skin microfilarial repopulation within six months of direct observed treatment
Ivermectin is an excellent microfilaricide against Onchocerca volvulus. However, in some regions, long term use of ivermectin has resulted in sub-optimal responses to the treatment. More data to properly document...
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Article
Open AccessEthnobotanical survey, anthelmintic effects and cytotoxicity of plants used for treatment of helminthiasis in the Central and Kara regions of Togo
Traditional medicines are the main source of treatment of helminthiasis in endemic areas of Togo. The present study aimed to investigate the plants used by Traditional healers (THs) to treat helminth infection...
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Article
Open AccessThe design and development of a multicentric protocol to investigate the impact of adjunctive doxycycline on the management of peripheral lymphoedema caused by lymphatic filariasis and podoconiosis
As new lymphatic filariasis infections are eliminated through mass chemotherapy, previously affected individuals are left with the sequellae, especially chronic progressive lymphoedema. Currently this is manag...
