PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Taxonomic, molecular and ecological approach reveals high diversity of vector sand flies, varied blood source supply and a high detection rate of Leishmania DNA in Colombian Amazon region.","authors":"Katerine Caviedes-Triana, Daniela Duque-Granda, Gloria Cadavid-Restrepo, Claudia X Moreno-Herrera, Rafael Vivero-Gomez","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013445","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013445","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Amazon region is home to more than 30% of the sand flies species in Colombia, including vectors of Leishmania mainly in the genus Lutzomyia and Psychodopygus. Advances in morphological and molecular taxonomy of sand flies facilitate the development of updated and robust species inventories in understudied areas, such as the departments of Amazonas and Caquetá. Currently, integrating the detection of blood meal sources and Leishmania DNA represents a key approach under the \"One Health\" concept by providing insights into human and animal health and the dynamics of different ecosystems.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>This study characterized the sand flies fauna in Amazonas and Caquetá using an integrative taxonomic approach that included DNA detection from blood meal and Leishmania sources. Sand flies were collected using CDC, Shannon, Prokopack traps and mouth aspirators. DNA was analyzed by conventional PCR targeting COI, Cytb, 12S rDNA and HSP-70N markers, respectively. A total of 1,104 specimens were collected, representing 12 genera and 30 species, 10 are recognized vectors of Leishmania, including Nyssomyia antunesi and Psychodopygus amazonensis. Our findings include new reports of regional distribution, particularly the first report of Sciopemyia fluviatilis in Colombia. Homo sapiens (28.8% Cytb; 18.6% 12S) and Sus scrofa (16.9% Cytb; 6.8% 12S) were the main food sources detected. While Nyssomyia fraihai (2.6%), Trichophoromyia cellulana (1.3%), Nyssomyia yuilli pajoti (1.3%) and Evandromyia (Aldamyia) walkeri (1.0%) grouped the highest detection rate of Leishmania DNA (9.0%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>The integration of molecular tools for the confirmation of phlebotomine species allowed the resolution of taxonomic conflicts, especially in the genus Trichophoromyia. These findings provide key information on ecological interactions (vectors-ingesta-Leishmania) related to leishmaniasis in the Colombian Amazon, suggesting a high diversity of sand flies and a significant zoonotic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013445"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12412933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk factors and leprosy incidence among contacts in Bangladesh: A multilevel analysis.","authors":"Unnati Rani Saha, Abu Sufian Chowdhury, Johan Chandra Roy, Khorshed Alam, Daan Nieboer, Renate Verbiest-Richardus, Annemieke Geluk, Jan Hendrik Richardus","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013465","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013465","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The Maltalep trial in Bangladesh assessed whether single-dose rifampicin (SDR) given 8-12 weeks after bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination was able to prevent excess leprosy cases due to BCG in contacts of newly diagnosed leprosy patients. After previous publication of the two years follow-up results of the trial, we now review the results after five years. Furthermore, to better understand the long-term protective effects of BCG against leprosy, we conduct post-hoc in-depth secondary statistical analyses based on the prospective interventional (randomized) Maltalep trial and a non-interventional (non-randomized) cohort study that was conducted simultaneously in the same project area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methodology: &lt;/strong&gt;The Maltalep trial is a single center, cluster-randomized controlled trial consisting of two arms. In one arm, SDR was given 8-12 weeks after BCG vaccination (SDR+), in the other arm no SDR was given after BCG revaccination (SDR-).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The Maltalep trial included 1,552 index patients. Of these, 14,986 eligible contacts were randomized into two arms SDR- and SDR+ of the trial. During the 5-year observation period, 95 and 100 new cases appeared among the contacts in two arms SDR- and SDR+ , respectively. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in the leprosy incidence between the contacts of two arms of the trial. The non-intervention cohort included 554 index patients and 4,216 eligible contacts, with a total of 82 new leprosy cases appearing during the 5-year observation period. After adjustment for risk factors, the leprosy incidence was statistically significantly 1.70 [95% CI (1.03-2.80)] times higher in the contacts of the non-intervention cohort as compared to the contacts in the Maltalep trial. In the Maltalep trial, adjusted for both observed and unobserved differences, SDR- arm contacts of MB, slit skin smear (SSS) positive, blood-related (brother/sister, child, parent), and 'blood-related other' to index patients had higher risks for leprosy (AOR 2.35; 95% CI: 1.20-4.60; AOR: 6.35; CI: 2.42-16.72; AOR: 4.34; 95% CI: 1.83-10.26 and AOR: 3.07; 95% CI: 1.37-7.90) compared to PB, SSS negative, and not blood-related index patients. Household members of index patients had an increased risk (AOR: 2.60; 95% CI: 1.30-7.27) for leprosy. In the SDR+ arm, leprosy incidences were statistically significantly less in the contacts of MB, SSS positive, and 'blood-related other' index patients as compared to the same kind of contacts in the SDR- arm. Leprosy incidence increased with age of contacts, with a peak at age group 45+ years (AOR:3.45; 95% CI: 1.44-8.23).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions and recommendations: &lt;/strong&gt;BCG vaccination of contacts is effective in preventing leprosy, overall there is no clear benefit of adding SDR after BCG to reduce the number of excess leprosy cases after vaccination. SDR after BCG, however, appears effective to prevent le","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013465"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12412996/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extracellular microbes are required for mosquito development even in the presence of Wolbachia.","authors":"Javier Serrato-Salas, Yanouk Epelboin, Danai Bemplidaki, Ivan Roger, Mathilde Gendrin","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013481","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013481","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium infecting a wide array of invertebrates, has gained attention for its potential in vector control. Its capacity to colonise host populations primarily relies on vertical transmission and reproductive manipulation in arthropods. This endosymbiont is additionally mutualistic in some hosts, across several Wolbachia supergroups; notably, in nematodes and, as recently demonstrated, in planthoppers and bedbugs, it functions as an essential nutritional symbiont by providing vitamins to its host. Since mosquito larvae require microbe-derived nutrients for development, we investigated whether Wolbachia alone can support larval development in Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Our findings reveal that Wolbachia alone is insufficient to support larval development. Using transient colonisation with Escherichia coli, we developed a protocol to produce adult Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes harbouring Wolbachia only (germ-freeWol+). These results suggest that E. coli can support larval development in this species, which typically thrives in murky water; they also underscore the importance of extracellular microbes in larval growth. Furthermore, when Wolbachia infection was suppressed in germ-freeWol+ larvae using tetracycline treatment, we observed enhanced larval development, suggesting that Wolbachia acts as a metabolic parasite. In summary, this study opens the way for gnotobiology research in Culex quinquefasciatus and highlights the intricate interactions between Wolbachia and other members, which collectively influence mosquito development.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013481"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community deployment of metofluthrin emanators to control indoor Aedes aegypti: Efficacy results from a crossover trial in Yucatan, Mexico.","authors":"Azael Che-Mendoza, Guillermo Guillermo-May, Oscar D Kirstein, Aylin Chi-Ku, Norma Pavía-Ruz, Anuar Medina-Barreiro, Gabriela González-Olvera, Gregor Devine, Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec, Pablo Manrique-Saide","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012883","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012883","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spatial emanators (SE) are innovative tools for controlling indoor Aedes aegypti due to their relatively easy use and high efficacy. Large-scale implementation challenges include community adoption, particularly ensuring proper installation and timely replacement as SE efficacy wanes.</p><p><strong>Methodology and principal findings: </strong>We conducted a three-arm, open-label entomological cluster randomized controlled trial with a crossover design, involving 588 households, to assess the entomological effect of the community use of metofluthrin emanators. Arms were: \"no treatment\"; \"community-led deployment\" (CD), where the households were responsible for installing and replacing SE with minimal guidance; and \"managed deployment\" (MD), where the research team handled SE installation and replacement. Emanators were replaced every 3 weeks across four deployment cycles, followed by a crossover between the CD and MD arms. Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected using Prokopack aspirators, and human landing counts (HLCs) were conducted in a subset of 12 houses (4 by arm) at the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth SE replacement rounds. Values of each endpoint during all sampling periods were compared using generalized linear mixed effects models (GLMM), the coefficients of the best-fitting model estimated that SE intervention reduced the number of Ae. aegypti per house by 32.7% (95%CI = 16.2-46.0%) in the CD arm and 36.8% (21.1-49.3%) in the MD arm. HLCs accounted 74-94% efficacy (MD) and 35-79% (CD). The crossover analysis found no significant difference between periods and arms, demonstrating the community's ability to manage SE as effectively as research team, even without prior training.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>This trial suggests that safe, portable SE are suited to deployment by householders as a rapid response to local Aedes-borne disease outbreaks even in the presence of high pyrethroid resistance in the local Aedes population. In urban areas where effective coverage and resourcing is a challenge to control campaigns, community \"ownership\" of SE products may enhance the impact of insecticidal interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0012883"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12422581/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Topography and environmental deficiencies are associated with chikungunya virus exposure in urban informal settlements in Salvador, Brazil.","authors":"Catherine Tamera Travis, Hernán D Argibay, Maysa Pellizzaro, Daiana de Oliveira, Roberta Santana, Fabiana Almerinda G Palma, Ricardo Lustosa, Juliet Oliveira Santana, Fábio Neves Souza, Yeimi Alexandra Alzate López, Mitermayer G Reis, Albert I Ko, Peter J Diggle, Guilherme S Ribeiro, Michael Begon, Federico Costa, Hussein Khalil, Max T Eyre","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013477","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013477","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus with a significant global public health burden. Delineating the specific contributions of individual behaviour, household, natural and built environment to CHIKV transmission is important for reducing risk in urban informal settlements but challenging due to their heterogeneous environments. The aim of this study was to quantify variation in CHIKV seroprevalence between and within four urban communities in a large Brazilian city, and identify the respective contributions of individual, household, and environmental factors for seropositivity.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>A cross-sectional serological survey was conducted in four low-income communities in Salvador, Brazil in 2018 to collect individual, household and CHIKV IgG serology data for 1318 participants. Fine-scale community mapping of high-risk environmental features and remotely sensed environmental data were used to improve characterisation of the microenvironment close to the household. We categorised risk factors into three domains - individual, household, and environmental and used binomial mixed-effect models to identify associations with CHIKV seropositivity. CHIKV seroprevalence was 4.8%, 6.1% and 4.3% in three communities and 22.6% in one community which had a distinct topographical profile. The only individual domain variable associated with seropositivity was male sex (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.11 - 2.36), but several environmental variables, including living in a house on a steep hillside, at medium to high elevations, and with surface water nearby, were associated with higher seropositivity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Our findings indicate that CHIKV exposure risk can vary significantly between nearby communities and at fine spatial scales within communities and is likely to be driven more strongly by the availability of mosquito breeding sites rather than individual exposure patterns. They suggest that environmental deficiencies and topography, a proxy for several environmental processes including the degree of urbanisation and flooding risk, may play an important role in driving risk at both of these scales.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013477"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12440227/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of predictors of rabies-positive biting animals in Cambodia using spatio-temporal Bayesian regression modelling.","authors":"Jerome N Baron, Yik Sik Peng, Beatriz Martínez-López, Sowath Ly, Philippe Dussart, Véronique Chevalier","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013478","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013478","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cambodia is endemic for rabies, a fatal zoonotic viral disease transmitted through dog bites. The Institut Pasteur du Cambodge through its Rabies Prevention Center is the main institution in charge of rabies prevention and surveillance in the country. Its main tool for prevention is post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for bite victims. Allocation of specific PEP regimen is done based on the assessment of the severity of the wound and the information collected by IPC doctors from patients regarding the attack's characteristics and the attacking animal's health status. Furthermore, a small proportion of patients bring animals for testing, 60% of which were tested positive for rabies. Using the data collected from patient interviews from 2000 to 2016, we used a Bayesian spatio-temporal regression model to identify predictors for two outcomes: i) a patient bringing an animal for testing and ii) an animal testing positive for rabies. The ultimate aim of the analysis was to provide information that could help with allocation of PEP resources. Notably non-owned animals, a large number of bite victims, and unprovoked attacks were all predictive of a positive test. A suspected rabies status assigned by doctor based on animal symptom description was also highly predictive of a rabies test, with 94.6% of tested animals that were assigned as sick being positive for rabies. Furthermore, we identified three Provinces of Cambodia with higher odds of positive tests: Kampong Cham, Kandal and Kampong Thom. This information could help allocate limited PEP resources, though this study showed IPC already a strong protocol to identify patients exposed to a rabies suspect dog.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013478"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12431645/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatio-temporal analysis of the distribution and co-circulation of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in Medellín, Colombia, from 2013 to 2021.","authors":"Jorge E Salazar Flórez, Berta N Restrepo, Laís Picinini Freitas, Mabel Carabali, Gloria I Jaramillo Ramírez, Cesar Garcia Balaguera, Brayan S Avila Monsalve, Kate Zinszer","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013470","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013470","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika present significant public health challenges in Colombia. Spatial studies help clarify the distribution and progression of these diseases over time and location. Objective to describe the spatio-temporal distribution and clustering patterns of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in Medellín, Colombia, between 2013 and 2021, with the aim of providing baseline spatial intelligence to support future epidemiological and policy-oriented analyses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed dengue, chikungunya, and Zika cases in Medellín from 2013 to 2021, using weekly data from 27,459 geocoded cases across 265 neighborhoods. Cases were geocoded by neighborhood based on residential addresses in the national surveillance system (SIVIGILA). Spatio-temporal analysis identified high-risk clusters and examined the co-circulation of the diseases through multivariate analysis. We used scan statistics with a discrete Poisson model to detect high-risk clusters.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2013 to 2021, 26,350 dengue cases probable and confirmed were reported, with an annual incidence of 137.3 per 100,000 residents. Chikungunya and Zika emerged in 2014 and 2015, with 574 and 515 cases reported, resulting in incidences of 5.1 and 3.8 per 100,000 residents, respectively. We identified five dengue clusters and four clusters each for Zika and chikungunya, mainly in Medellín's northeast. Multivariate analysis revealed six clusters, with four exhibiting high risk for all three diseases. Co-circulation of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika occurred between September 2015 and February 2017. Dengue clusters peaked between 2015 and 2016, while chikungunya and Zika peaks occurred in 2015 and 2016, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study advances understanding of spatio-temporal dynamics in arbovirus transmission in Medellín, highlighting high-risk clusters for dengue, chikungunya, and Zika and their collective presence. Our findings support targeted public health interventions to mitigate these diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013470"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425392/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Socio-psychological determinants of scabies contact notification among Dutch students: A qualitative study.","authors":"Sunia B Somra, Hélène A C M Voeten, Inge Lewis-van Disseldorp, Fraukje E F Mevissen","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013471","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013471","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recently, the incidence of scabies in the Netherlands increased, especially among young adults. Students are particularly at higher risk of scabies infection, as they often live close together and have many contacts. To prevent ongoing transmission and enhance timely treatment, it is important for scabies patients to notify their contacts. We held in-depth semi-structured interviews with Dutch students who experienced scabies in the past year (n = 15). We investigated to what extent they notify their contacts correctly and timely, and what socio-psychological factors influence their contact notification (CN). Thematic analysis was used to analyze verbatim transcripts. The results showed that most participants seemed to correctly notify their contacts, except for casual bedpartners who were often not contacted or not in time. Individual factors that seemed to influence this behavior were knowledge and awareness regarding CN, perceived risk of transmission, attitude towards CN, emotions involved with CN, quality of relationship with the contact, and intention for CN in the future. Important environmental factors were perceived social norm, received response to notification and disclosure, and experienced stigma. There is a need to develop interventions to enhance CN among students, focusing on knowledge and awareness regarding CN, emotions involved with CN, perceived descriptive norms, and experienced stigma.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013471"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12410757/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscess-associated hospitalizations, United States, 2016-2021.","authors":"Dallas J Smith, Kaitlin Benedict, Shawn R Lockhart, Sanjay G Revankar","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013499","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013499","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscesses are infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by dematiaceous fungi; more rarely, phaeohyphomycotic brain abscesses can occur. The epidemiology and clinical outcomes of chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscesses are not well-understood in the United States.</p><p><strong>Methodology/ principal findings: </strong>We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample to obtain yearly national estimates of chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscess-associated hospitalizations. We examined age group, sex, Census region, season of hospital admission, clinical form of chromoblastomycosis, and presence of selected concurrent conditions. An estimated 690 chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscess-associated hospitalizations occurred during 2016-2021. Rates were highest in 2016 (0.5/1,000,000) and lowest in 2020 (0.2/1,000,000). Overall, higher hospitalization rates occurred among males (0.4/1,000,000) versus females (0.3/1,000,000). Rates increased with age, with patients aged ≥65 years having the highest rate (0.9/1,000,000). The Northeast had the highest hospitalization rate (0.5/1,000,000) followed by the South (0.4/1,000,000). Hypertension (34%), diabetes (33%), dyslipidemia (28%), and chronic kidney disease (21%) were the most common concurrent conditions. Nine percent had autoimmune inflammatory disease or solid malignancy. Seven percent had solid organ or stem cell transplantation. Subsequently, five percent had lymphedema. Mean hospitalization length was 9.9 days; in-hospital death occurred in 3%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Substantial in-hospital mortality and complications like lymphedema can occur from chromoblastomycosis and phaeohyphomycotic abscesses. Our analysis provides a baseline to monitor hospitalizations and mortality along with comorbidities that may change these outcomes. Public health and clinical partnerships could improve understanding of these fungal diseases caused by dematiaceous fungi through registries, enhanced surveillance, and increased awareness.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013499"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12419653/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking the blueprint to eliminating neglected tropical diseases: A review of efforts in 50 countries that have eliminated at least 1 NTD.","authors":"Helmi Hietanen, Lorraine Tsitsi Pfavayi, Francisca Mutapi","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013424","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013424","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of 21 diseases affecting approximately 1.5 billion people globally. Significant progress has been made in their control: by March 2024, 50 countries had eliminated at least one NTD, with 13 of these countries eliminating at least two. Togo achieved the highest milestone, having eliminated four. The eight NTDs eliminated in at least one country are Guinea worm disease, human African trypanosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, rabies, trachoma, visceral leishmaniasis and yaws. We reviewed elimination efforts of these 50 countries to identify factors underlying their successes and failures to generate a blueprint to inform the acceleration of NTD elimination.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>We conducted a review of published and grey literature and extracted and recorded data on various features of the elimination programmes, including the durations and organisers of elimination efforts, interventions, strategies including mainstreaming into other health services, partnerships involved, and details of historical failed control efforts. These data were synthesised to generate a blueprint for NTD elimination. Key features of successful NTD elimination included country ownership, dedicated elimination efforts, and use of a combination of strategies. Most elimination programmes targeted one NTD at a time, while fewer utilised integrated approaches. Elimination required at least two decades of sustained efforts and partnerships between the endemic country and international stakeholders. Failure in historical efforts was frequently a result of sociopolitical instability, insufficient resources, deprioritisation, lack of effective interventions, or lax implementation of interventions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Accelerating NTD elimination requires sustained, intense, and multisectoral approaches. In addition, mainstreaming within the health system, improved cross-cutting One Health strategies including water, sanitation and hygiene, and sustained financing are critical for elimination. While this study provides valuable insights, limitations due to documentation gaps and secondary sources highlight the need for improved data reporting and future research to strengthen elimination frameworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 9","pages":"e0013424"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12410759/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}