Leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses in the vicious circle of neglect
3
Issued Date
2025-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19352735
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85216717681
Pubmed ID
39847571
Journal Title
PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Volume
19
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol.19 No.1 (2025) , e0012796
Suggested Citation
Tshokey T., Ko A.I., Currie B.J., Munoz-Zanzi C., Goarant C., Paris D.H., Dance D.A.B., Limmathurotsakul D., Birnie E., Bertherat E., Gongal G., Benschop J., Savelkoel J., Stenos J., Saraswati K., Robinson M.T., Day N.P.J., Graves S.R., Belmain S.R., Blacksell S.D., Wiersinga W.J. Leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses in the vicious circle of neglect. PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol.19 No.1 (2025) , e0012796. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0012796 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/104204
Title
Leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses in the vicious circle of neglect
Author's Affiliation
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit
Universitas Indonesia
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz
Menzies School of Health Research
Universität Basel
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Swiss TPH
University of Greenwich
National University of Singapore
Mahosot Hospital, Lao
School of Public Health
Nuffield Department of Medicine
Massey University
Yale University
Universiteit van Amsterdam
GISPE – Groupe d’Intervention en Santé Publique et Epidémiologie
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
University Hospital Geelong
Public Health Division
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit
Universitas Indonesia
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz
Menzies School of Health Research
Universität Basel
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Swiss TPH
University of Greenwich
National University of Singapore
Mahosot Hospital, Lao
School of Public Health
Nuffield Department of Medicine
Massey University
Yale University
Universiteit van Amsterdam
GISPE – Groupe d’Intervention en Santé Publique et Epidémiologie
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia
University Hospital Geelong
Public Health Division
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
The global priorities in the field of infectious diseases are constantly changing. While emerging viral infections have regularly dominated public health attention, which has only intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous bacterial diseases have previously caused, and continue to cause, significant morbidity and mortality-deserving equal attention. Three potentially life-threatening endemic bacterial diseases (leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses) are a huge public health concern especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite their continued threat, these diseases do not receive proportionate attention from global health organizations and are not even included on the WHO list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This, in turn, has led to a vicious circle of neglect with continued, yet conceivably preventable, hospitalizations and deaths each year especially in the vulnerable population. This is a call from a group of multi-institutional experts on the urgent need to directly address the circle of neglect and raise support in terms of funding, research, surveillance, diagnostics, and therapeutics to alleviate the burden of these 3 diseases.