CDC’s Neglected Tropical Diseases Program

Young children in Haiti wait in line to be tested for NTDs and malaria.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of infectious diseases that cause devastating illness for Several NTDs can be controlled or eliminated more than one billion people. Affecting the world’s through mass administration of safe and poorest people, NTDs cause disabilities that make it effective medicines (mass drug administration difficult to succeed in school, care for family or earn or MDA), including: a living. Thus, NTDs have a disruptive impact on •• Lymphatic filariasis (LF) productivity and already unstable economies. •• Onchocerciasis (river blindness) Global efforts to control and eliminate NTDs reduce •• Schistosomiasis the risk for everyone. •• Intestinal worms (soil-transmitted helminths Since 2006, tremendous progress has been made (STH) — Ascaris, hookworm and whipworm) in controlling NTDs, with 1.6 billion treatments distributed through global efforts including the •• Trachoma U.S. Government (USG) NTD program. With a strong Other simple interventions can eliminate some public-private partnership, the relatively small USG NTDs, for example water filtration for Guinea investment has leveraged more than $11 billion in worm disease. drug donations by pharmaceutical companies. Progress Against NTDs •• Guinea worm disease (GWD) affected an Millions of people no longer at risk for NTDs estimated 3.5 million people in 1986, but in 2016 200200 only 25 cases were reported. 183. 180 •• Rates of lymphatic filariasis (LF) have fallen 160 10.5 by more than 70% since the global elimination 10 program began in 2000. 120 100 92. •• Onchocerciasis (river blindness) was interrupted 80 81.8 60 in 11 of the 13 major areas of transmission in the 65.6 0 32

Americas, and has been controlled throughout Millions risk no longer at 5.5 35.76 much of sub-Saharan Africa. 20 7.7 27 0 •• Blinding trachoma was eliminated from Iran, 2011 2012 2013 201 2015 2016 Mexico, Morocco and Oman, with additional Lymphatic Filariasis Trachoma countries (Ghana, Nepal) on track to eliminate it Courtesy of USAID as well.

Center for Global Health Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria CDC at Work Around the World: Science to eliminate and eradicate NTDs Despite tremendous progress, there is still much to be done. We need simple, accurate ways to know when it is safe to stop treatment and how to monitor to ensure these diseases don’t come back. We are working to accelerate elimination of NTDs in several ways: •• Researching better laboratory surveillance tools and making them ready for use by country programs where these diseases are being eliminated. •• Developing and field testing epidemiologic methods to monitor and accelerate program progress. •• Assisting countries with implementing their programs. •• Providing global scientific leadership on NTD elimination through collaborations with the WHO and others.

Laboratory Surveillance Tools Epidemiologic Methods CDC developed a blood CDC led development of test that can help Transmission Assessment determine the level of Surveys (TAS) to help trachoma transmission countries determine when in a community. This tool transmission of lymphatic will make it possible to filariasis (LF) has reached better monitor the impact levels low enough to stop of trachoma elimination treatment, and helped programs and provide WHO train countries on early detection if trachoma its use. CDC is field testing returns. The test has methods for countries to use potential for huge program to strengthen healthcare Children in a village being A healthcare worker teaches savings in training costs examined for trachoma. systems to provide services a woman with lymphatic alone, compared to the to prevent disability from filariasis in Bangladesh to clinical eye exams lymphatic filariasis. care for her swollen leg to currently used. help prevent disability.

Assisting Country Programs Global Scientific Leadership In Haiti, mass drug CDC is the World Health administration for LF was Organization (WHO) recently stopped for 5 Collaborating Center for million people (50% of the Dracunculiasis (Guinea population) as a result of worm) Eradication and CDC and partner efforts to supports the global Guinea help eliminate the disease. Worm Eradication Program The success in Haiti shows efforts by providing elimination is possible in laboratory diagnosis of even the most challenging suspect Guinea worms and settings. developing new surveillance tools to understand where A young boy in Haiti A village volunteer oversees is tested for NTDs. Guinea worm remains. the removal of a Guinea worm emerging from a man’s leg. Photo: The Carter Center

For more information, see www.cdc.gov globalhealth/ntd/

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