Neglected tropical bacterial diseases

Abstract

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) belong to a diverse group of communicable diseases caused by pathogens including helminthes, protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. The NTDs prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 countries and affect billions of people, resulting in an economic burden of billions of dollars every year. The major neglected tropical bacterial diseases (NTBDs) are Leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and Trachoma. Leprosy and Buruli ulcer are caused by members of the Mycobacterium genus viz M. leprae and M. ulcerans and are responsible for the most severe medical impact in the tropics. Trachoma is the result of infection of the eye with Chlamydia trachomatis and it is responsible for the visual impairment of about 1.8 million people, of whom 0.5 million are irreversibly blind. In this chapter the above major NTBDs are discussed in terms of their epidemiology, pathogenic vector, metabolism, genomic and immunological analysis, classification, treatment, resistance, and vaccine development.