Infectious Diseases of Poverty
Volume 08 · Issue 05 · 2019
Infec Dis Poverty
- Sections
- Editorial
- Scoping Review
- Research Article
- Commentary
- Opinion
- Study Protocol
- Short Report
Before the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago, both extreme poverty and parasitic infections and other neglected tropical diseases were highly prevalent. Owing to social development, particularly economic reforms since the 1980s, poverty has since been dramatically reduced, and China became increasingly urbanized and industrialized. In parallel, China's economic transformation translated into similar and remarkable reductions in neglected tropical diseases. Qian and colleagues report in their review published in Infectious Diseases of Poverty, the elimination or near elimination as a public health problem of lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, soil-transmitted helminth infections, schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases. Of note, neglected tropical disease control and poverty reduction each appear to reinforce the other. China's formula for success in parasitic and neglected tropical disease control might translate to other parts of the world, such as in sub-Saharan Africa through China's new Belt and Road Initiative.
This commentary highlights the value of community-engaged social innovations to advance health care delivery in low- and middle-income countries and to accelerate universal health coverage. It emphasizes the importance of research to guide the innovators on what works, what does not work to make their innovations sustainable and to replicate and scale them up as relevant. It also helps to demonstrate impact and to enhance uptake within the health systems.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, considerable progress has been made in the control and elimination of the country's initial set of 11 neglected tropical diseases. Indeed, elimination as a public health problem has been declared for lymphatic filariasis in 2007 and for trachoma in 2015. The remaining numbers of people affected by soil-transmitted helminth infection, clonorchiasis, taeniasis, and echinococcosis in 2015 were 29.1 million, 6.0 million, 366 200, and 166 100, respectively. In 2017, after more than 60 years of uninterrupted, multifaceted schistosomiasis control, has seen the number of cases dwindling from more than 10 million to 37 600. Meanwhile, about 6000 dengue cases are reported, while the incidence of leishmaniasis, leprosy, and rabies are down at 600 or fewer per year. Sustained social and economic development, going hand-in-hand with improvement of water, sanitation, and hygiene provide the foundation for continued progress, while rigorous surveillance and specific public health responses will consolidate achievements and shape the elimination agenda. Targets for poverty elimination and strategic plans and intervention packages post-2020 are important opportunities for further control and elimination, when remaining challenges call for sustainable efforts.
Hepatitis A (HepA) vaccination and economic transitions can change the epidemiology of HepA. China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita was known to be inversely associated with the incidence of HepA, but a deeper understanding of the epidemiology of HepA in different socio-economic regions is lacking. We compare the changing epidemiology of HepA in three socioeconomic-geographic regions of China.
We obtained data on all HepA cases reported through the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System and assessed trends and changes in age-specific incidence rates by age quartile and season. We categorized the country into three regions, the sequential years into five era, compared the incidence, quartile age, seasonal intensity and coverage of HepA of the three regions. Linear regression was performed to analyse trends in incidence of HepA and to analyse the association between coverage and incidence.
The annual mean incidences of HepA in the eastern, central, and western regions decreased from 63.52/100 000, 50.57/100 000 and 46.39/100 000 in 1990-1992 to 1.18/100 000, 1.05/100 000 and 3.14/100 000 in 2012-2017, respectively. Decreases in incidence were seen in all age groups in the three regions; the incidence was highest (9.3/100 000) in the youngest age group (0-4 years) of the western region, while in the central region, the age group with the highest incidence changed from 0 to 9 years to adults ≥60 years old. In 2017, the median age of HepA cases was 43 years (Q1-Q3: 33-55), 47 years (Q1-Q3: 32-60) and 33 years (Q1-Q3: 9-52) in the eastern, central, and western provinces, respectively. Seasonal peaks became smaller or were nearly elimination nationwide, but seasonality persisted in some provinces. After the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) included HepA vaccine into the routine schedule in 2007, HepA coverage increased to > 80% in the three regions and was negatively association with the HepA incidence.
The incidence of HepA decreased markedly between 1990 and 2017. A socioeconomic inequity in coverage of HepA vaccine was almost eliminated after HepA vaccine was introduced into China's EPI system, but inequity in incidence still existed in lower socio-economic developed region.
The goal of soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) control programmes is to eliminate STH-associated morbidity in the target population by reducing the prevalence of moderate- and heavy-intensity infections and the overall STH infection prevalence mainly through preventive chemotherapy (PC) with either albendazole or mebendazole. Endemic countries should measure the success of their control programmes through regular epidemiological assessments. We evaluated changes in STH prevalence in countries that conducted effective PC coverage for STH to guide changes in the frequency of PC rounds and the number of tablets needed.
We selected countries from World Health Organization (WHO)'s Preventive Chemotherapy and Transmission control (PCT) databank that conducted ≥5 years of PC with effective coverage for school-age children (SAC) and extracted STH baseline and impact assessment data using the WHO Epidemiological Data Reporting Form, Ministry of Health reports and/or peer-reviewed publications. We used pooled and weighted means to plot the prevalence of infection with any STH and with each STH species at baseline and after ≥5 years of PC with effective coverage. Finally, using the WHO STH decision tree, we estimated the reduction in the number of tablets needed.
Fifteen countries in four WHO regions conducted annual or semi-annual rounds of PC for STH for 5 years or more and collected data before and after interventions. At baseline, the pooled prevalence was 48.9% (33.1-64.7%) for any STH, 23.2% (13.7-32.7%) for Ascaris lumbricoides, 21.01% (9.7-32.3%) for Trichuris trichiura and 18.2% (10.9-25.5%) for hookworm infections, while after ≥5 years of PC for STH, the prevalence was 14.3% (7.3-21.3%) for any STH, 6.9% (1.3-12.5%) for A. lumbricoides, 5.3% (1.06-9.6%) for T. trichiura and 8.1% (4.0-12.2%) for hookworm infections.
Countries endemic for STH have made tremendous progress in reducing STH-associated morbidity, but very few countries have data to demonstrate that progress. In this study, the data show that nine countries should adapt their PC strategies and the frequency of PC rounds to yield a 36% reduction in drug needs. The study also highlights the importance of impact assessment surveys to adapt control strategies according to STH prevalence.
The China-Gates TB project Phase II implemented case-based payment reform in three Chinese counties in 2014, designed specifically for patients diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to examine the changes in utilization and expenses of outpatient services before and after the reform implementation, among TB patients in the three counties in China.
We collected quantitative data using surveys in 2013 (baseline year) and 2015 (final year). We used outpatient hospital records to measure service utilization and medical expenses of TB patients. We conducted qualitative interviews with local health authorities, officers of health insurance agencies, and hospital managers (n = 18). We utilized three focus group discussions with hospital staff and TB doctors and nurses. The χ2 tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyse quantitative data, and the thematic analysis using a framework approach was applied to analyse qualitative data.
Dantu and Yangzhong counties enacted TB-specific case-based payment method in 2014. Jurong County maintained global budget payment but raised the reimbursement rate for TB care. Compared to the baseline, the percentage of TB patients in Dantu and Yangzhong with eight or above outpatient visits increased from 7.5 to 55.1% and from 22.1 to 53.1% in the final survey, respectively. Jurong experienced the opposite trend, decreasing from 63.0 to 9.8%. In the final survey, the total outpatient expenses per patient during a full treatment course in Dantu (RMB 2939.7) and Yangzhong (RMB 2520.6) were significantly higher than those in the baseline (RMB 690.4 and RMB 1001.5, respectively), while the total outpatient expenses in Jurong decreased significantly (RMB 1976.0 in the baseline and RMB 660.8 in the final survey). Health insurance agencies in Dantu and Yangzhong did not approve the original design with outpatient and inpatient expenses packaged together, revealed by qualitative interviews. Furthermore, staff at designated hospitals misunderstood that health insurance agencies would only reimburse actual expenses. Many TB doctors complained about their reduced salary, which might be due to decreased hospital revenue generated from TB care after the payment method reform.
The intended effect on cost containment of case-based payment was not evident in Dantu and Yangzhong. In Jurong, where the global budget payment system maintained with the reimbursement rate enhanced, we found an effect on cost containment, but the quality of TB care might be compromised. The TB-specific case-based payment method could be redesigned to combine payment on outpatient and inpatient expenses and to set an appropriate payment standard for TB care during a full treatment course. Local health insurance agencies have to provide explicit explanations on the payment method. TB care providers should be provided with proper incentives. Monitoring and evluaiton on the quality of TB care should be undertaken at regular intervals.
Tuberculosis and parasitosis are the widely distributed diseases in Ethiopia with the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, respectively. There has been no information on the status of co-infections of tuberculosis and parasitosis in Oromia Zone of Amhara Region and South Wollo, Ethiopia. Hence, this study primarily focuses on determining the status of tuberculosis and parasitosis co-infections and associated factors.
The study was conducted in Oromia Special Zone of the Amhara Regional State and South Wollo Zone, northeastern Ethiopia from April 2015 to January 2017. Tuberculosis cases confirmed by health personnel at the health institutions were the source of the study sample. In a cross-sectional study 384 smear positive pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis cases were recruited. Faecal specimens provided by the study participants were examined for parasitic co-infections using direct saline microscopic test, Kato-Katz and concentration techniques. Nutritional status was determined using body mass index and mid-upper arm circumferences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods and Pearson chi-square.
Tuberculosis and parasitosis co-infection prevalence was 10.8%, and the proportion of intestinal helminths accounted for 9.7% while intestinal protozoa accounted for 1.9%. Cases with single parasitic infection was 89.3% among co-infected individuals. Co-infection of both disease was not significantly associated with gender and age (P > 0.05). The prevalence of undernutrition was 58.6% as determined using body mass index and 73.0% as determined using mid-upper arm circumference with no significant association with gender. Among all forms of tuberculosis cases (384) screened for the study, the bacterial positivity was relatively more common in males (55.5%) than females (44.5%). Tuberculosis lymphadenitis was found to be the most prevalent (85.9%) form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis with cervical adenopathy (75.3%) being the commonly existing disease.
The rate of helminthic co-infection is predominantly high than that of intestinal protozoa. Single parasitic co-infection was more common than double or multiple co-infections. Both body mass index and mid-upper arm circumference anthropometric parameters revealed greater risk of undernutrition in tuberculosis patients. Thus, screening and prompt treatment of parasites in tuberculosis patients and a support of nutritional supplementation for malnourished tuberculosis patients should be further studied which might enhance the disease treatment and minimize the risk of its complexity.
Despite great medical advances and scientific progress over the past century, one billion people globally still lack access to basic health care services. In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development social innovation models aim to provide effective solutions that bridge the health care delivery gap, address equity and create social value. This commentary highlights the roles of multilateral organizations and governments in creating an enabling environment where social innovations can more effectively integrate into health systems to maximize their impact on beneficiaries.
The integration of social innovations into health systems is essential to ensure their sustainability and the wide dissemination of their impact. Effective partnerships, strong engagement with and endorsement by governments and communities, regulations, trust and sometimes willingness are key factors to enhance system integration, replication and dissemination of the models. Three examples of social innovations selected by the Social Innovation in Health Initiative illustrate the importance of engaging with governments and communities in order to link, integrate and synergize their efforts. Key challenges that they encountered, and lessons learnt are highlighted. Multilateral organizations and governments increasingly engage in promoting and supporting the development, testing and dissemination of social innovations to address the health care delivery gap. They play an important role in creating an enabling environment. This includes promoting the concept of social innovation in health care delivery, spreading social innovation approach and lessons learnt, fostering partnerships and leveraging resources, convening communities, health system actors and various stakeholders to work together across disciplines and sectors, and nurturing capacity in countries.
Multilateral organizations and local and national governments have a critical role to play in creating an enabling environment where social innovations can flourish. In supporting and disseminating social innovation approach, multilateral organizations and governments have a great opportunity to accelerate Universal Health Coverage and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
To achieve the elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in all African countries will entail enormous challenges, as has been highlighted by the active discussion around onchocerciasis intervention strategies and evaluation procedures in this journal. Serological thresholds for onchocerciasis elimination, adapted for the African setting, need to be established. The Onchocerciasis Technical Advisory Subgroup of the World Health Organization is currently developing improved guidelines to allow country elimination committees to make evidence-based decisions. Importantly, onchocerciasis-related morbidity should not be forgotten when debating elimination prospects. A morbidity management and disease prevention (MMDP) strategy similar to that for lymphatic filariasis will need to be developed. This will require collaboration between the onchocerciasis elimination program, the community and other partners including primary health and mental health programs. In order to reach the goal of onchocerciasis elimination in most African countries by 2025, we should prioritize community participation and advocate for tailored interventions which are scientifically proven to be effective, but currently considered to be too expensive.
Dengue is a global disease, transmitted by the Aedes vectors. In 2018, there were 80 615 dengue cases with 147 deaths in Malaysia. Currently, the nationwide surveillance programs are dependent on Aedes larval surveys and notifications of lab-confirmed human infections. The existing, reactive programs appear to lack sensitivity and proactivity. More efficient dengue vector surveillance/control methods are needed.
A parallel, cluster, randomized controlled, interventional trial is being conducted for 18 months in Damansara Damai, Selangor, Malaysia, to determine the efficacy of using gravid oviposition sticky (GOS) trap and dengue non-structural 1 (NS1) antigen test for early surveillance of dengue among Aedes mosquitoes to reduce dengue outbreaks. Eight residential apartments were randomly assigned into intervention and control arms. GOS traps are set at the apartments to collect Aedes weekly, following which dengue NS1 antigen is detected in these mosquitoes. When a dengue-positive mosquito is detected, the community will be advised to execute vector search-and-destroy and protective measures. The primary outcome concerns the the percentage change in the (i) number of dengue cases and (ii) durations of dengue outbreaks. Whereas other outcome measures include the change in density threshold of Aedes and changes in dengue-related knowledge, attitude and practice among cluster inhabitants.
This is a proactive and early dengue surveillance in the mosquito vector that does not rely on notification of dengue cases. Surveillance using the GOS traps should be able to efficiently provide sufficient coverage for multistorey dwellings where population per unit area is likely to be higher. Furthermore, trapping dengue-infected mosquitoes using the GOS trap, helps to halt the dengue transmission carried by the mosquito. It is envisaged that the results of this randomized controlled trial will provide a new proactive, cheap and targeted surveillance tool for the prevention and control of dengue outbreaks.
This is a parallel-cluster, randomized controlled, interventional trial, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03799237), on 8th January 2019 (retrospectively registered).
Blastocystis is a widespread zoonotic protozoan of mammalian species, especially in HIV/AIDS individuals. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and risk factors related with Blastocystis infection among HIV/AIDS patients in Southwest China.
The cross-sectional study was performed in 311 HIV/AIDS cases in Tengchong City, Yunnan Province from July 2016 to March 2017. For each subject, stool specimen was collected to detect the Blastocystis, and the blood sample was used to detect HIV virus load and CD4+ T cell count, in addition, structured questionnaire was used to collect the basic information and risk factors.
The result showed that the detection rate of Blastocystis was 3.86% (95% CI: 2.22-6.62) among HIV/AIDS patients. Both raising animal (OR = 12.93, 95% CI: 1.54-108.36) and drinking un-boiled water (OR = 8.17, 95% CI: 1.76-37.90) were risk factors for Blastocystis infection in HIV/AIDS individuals. In addition, the interaction of CD4+ T cell count and HIV virus load was also contribution to Blastocystis infection (P = 0.007).
A high prevalence of Blastocystis infection was found in HIV/AIDS patients in Tengchong. Poor hygienic habits, the interaction of HIV virus load and CD4+ T cell count were identified as main risk factors for infection. These results will help us to develop efficient control strategies to intervene with and prevent the occurrence of Blastocystis among HIV-infected individuals.
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