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Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?

Noma is an orofacial gangrene affecting primarily children living in extreme poverty in remote parts of subtropical and tropical countries. Mortality and disability are high, and survivors often have physical and functional deformities resulting in stigma and isolation. Many healthcare professionals...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Srour, M. Leila, Baratti-Mayer, Denise
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444552/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32817617
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008435
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author Srour, M. Leila
Baratti-Mayer, Denise
author_facet Srour, M. Leila
Baratti-Mayer, Denise
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description Noma is an orofacial gangrene affecting primarily children living in extreme poverty in remote parts of subtropical and tropical countries. Mortality and disability are high, and survivors often have physical and functional deformities resulting in stigma and isolation. Many healthcare professionals and primary healthcare workers where noma risk factors exist have no knowledge about noma and its implications. Public health measures to improve nutrition, immunizations, sanitation, and access to healthcare and measures to eliminate extreme poverty can lead to the eradication of noma. Research allocation has been insufficient to study the epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of noma. In a recent editorial by Hotez and colleagues in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), “What constitutes an NTD?” Noma is not included. The exclusion of noma from NTDs constitutes this preventable childhood disease as a neglected neglected disease. The purpose of this article is the inclusion of noma with the PLOS NTDs. Increased awareness and attention to noma can lead to the eradication of this disease affecting the world’s most vulnerable.
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spelling pubmed-74445522020-08-27 Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease? Srour, M. Leila Baratti-Mayer, Denise PLoS Negl Trop Dis Viewpoints Noma is an orofacial gangrene affecting primarily children living in extreme poverty in remote parts of subtropical and tropical countries. Mortality and disability are high, and survivors often have physical and functional deformities resulting in stigma and isolation. Many healthcare professionals and primary healthcare workers where noma risk factors exist have no knowledge about noma and its implications. Public health measures to improve nutrition, immunizations, sanitation, and access to healthcare and measures to eliminate extreme poverty can lead to the eradication of noma. Research allocation has been insufficient to study the epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of noma. In a recent editorial by Hotez and colleagues in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), “What constitutes an NTD?” Noma is not included. The exclusion of noma from NTDs constitutes this preventable childhood disease as a neglected neglected disease. The purpose of this article is the inclusion of noma with the PLOS NTDs. Increased awareness and attention to noma can lead to the eradication of this disease affecting the world’s most vulnerable. Public Library of Science 2020-08-20 /pmc/articles/PMC7444552/ /pubmed/32817617 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008435 Text en © 2020 Srour, Baratti-Mayer http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Viewpoints
Srour, M. Leila
Baratti-Mayer, Denise
Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title_full Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title_fullStr Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title_full_unstemmed Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title_short Why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
title_sort why is noma a neglected-neglected tropical disease?
topic Viewpoints
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444552/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32817617
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008435
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