AN OVERVIEW ND Fighting NTDs 2010-2011:. What are Neglected Tropical Diseases? NTDs affect more people in the world than AIDS and malaria combined. 1.4.

AN OVERVIEW

ND Fighting NTDs 2010-2011:

What are Neglected Tropical Diseases?

NTDs affect more people in the world than AIDS and malaria combined.

1.4 billion people worldwide are

infected with one or more of the 13 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

You could fill Notre Dame

stadium 17,822 times with the people infected

with NTDs around the world.

For every ND undergrad, there

are 180,000 people infected with an NTD.

What are the diseases called?

LYMPHATIC FILIRIASISASCARIASISHOOKWORMTRACHOMAONOROCHONIASIS (RIVER

BLINDNESS)TRICHURIASIS (WHIPWORM)SCHISTOSOMIASIS (SNAIL FEVER)

Video Courtesy GNNTD

http://globalnetwork.org/just50centsvideo

Treating NTDs

NTDs are controllable and possibly eradicable by safe and effective drugs already in existence, many of which are donated by pharmaceutical companies (Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer).

With public-private partnerships like those between government agencies and the drug companies mentioned above, all seven of the most common NTDs can be controlled for approximately 50 cents per person per year.

NTDs in the News

Recent development: President Obama included a $155 million allocation for the treatment, control, and eradication of NTDs in the 2011 fiscal year State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.

ND Fighting NTDs is planning to work closely with the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (GNNTD), a group which raises the profile of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and builds support for control and elimination activities. The GNNTD connects global players and afflicted communities to increase access to vital medicines that can stop these illnesses and lift the world’s poorest people out of poverty.

Lymphatic Filiariasis (Elephantiasis)

120 million people are infected worldwideAn additional 1 billion are at risk for

contracting it Caused by parasitic filarial worms that feed off

the human through their lymphatic systemThe worms living within the lymphatic system

cause swelling in the limbs and in the genitals making this an extremely painful, disfiguring and debilitating disease

Medication to treat symptoms has been donated by GlaskoSmith, a prominent drug company

Ascaraisis

Affects nearly 1/8 of the world’s population807 million people worldwide are infectedKills 60,000 people annuallyCauses swelling of the abdomen and severe

abdominal pain, malnutrition, anemia, and impaired physical growth, particularly in children

Hookworm

Nearly one-tenth of the world’s population infected

Infects 576 million people worldwide, including 44 million pregnant women

Intestinal parasite causes severe weight loss, loss of appetite, and extreme fatigue and weakness

In 2001, the World Health Organization adopted a resolution aimed at the deworming of 75 percent of all at-risk school-age children by 2010, the largest public health program ever attempted to date

A hookworm vaccine is also in development and is currently in a Phase I clinical trial

Trachoma

The world’s leading cause of preventable blindness

41 million people suffer from active trachoma infection

An infectious disease of the eye spread easily by contact with an infected person or by flies that have come in contact with the eyes or nose of an infected person

Because trachoma is transmitted through close personal contact, it tends to occur in clusters—often infecting entire families and communities and leading dozens blind in a single village

Onorochoniasis (River Blindness)

Infects 37 million people living near rivers in sub-Saharan Africa

The world’s 4th leading cause of preventable blindness

500,000 of those infected are severely impaired visually while 270,000 are permanently blind from the disease

Transmitted through black fliesCauses skin rashes, lesions, and blindness

Trichuriasis (Whipworm)

604 million people are infected worldwideTransmitted through accidental ingestion of

contaminated soil or unwashed vegetables fertilized with human feces

Children are at an especially high risk for whipworm because they often play outside in the dirt or soil

Prolonged exposure to whipworm can cause serious health consequences including malnutrition, anemia, swelling of the abdomen and physical growth retardation

Schistosomiasis (Snail Fever)

Most deadly of the NTDs: kills 280,000 people each year

Second only to malaria as the most common parasitic disease

207 million people are afflicted by this diseaseEasily transmitted through any contact with

infested waterCauses swelling of the abdomen, kidney

disease, liver disease, and bladder cancerChildren under 14 are especially at risk

ND Fighting NTDs Structure: Officers

President: Emily ConronCo-Treasurers: Mike McCurrie and Tom

EmeryEvent Planning Chair: Jake Coleman Publicity & Awareness Chair: Eileen Lynch Alumni Outreach Chair: Sean HeidenWebmaster: position available!

Club officer elections will be held in February 2011.

ND Fighting NTDs: Committee Descriptions

Event Planning Committee: plans and coordinates awareness and fundraising events around campus

Publicity & Awareness Committee: coordinates publicity activities, print and digital advertising, and marketing campaigns

Alumni Outreach Committee: coordinates alumni activities and maintains the communication channel between alumni and friends of the university and the NTD group

Goals for the Year

Raise the Notre Dame community’s awareness of the NTD crisis and the availability of drugs to combat it

Encourage students to get involved in spreading awareness by contacting their legislators, community leaders, business executives, and the general public

Plan events on campus to raise awareness and educate students about NTDs Dorm movie showings Lecture series with guest speakers

Producing promotional materials (t-shirts, posters, table tents for dining halls, brochures, etc.)

Even MORE Goals for the Year!

Fundraisers A benefit concert T-shirt sales Sponsorships by local businesses Dinners at local restaurants

Coordinating with other on-campus clubs and the CSC

Getting bigger – tell your friends!

Questions? Comments? Ideas?

Thanks so much for your interest! Check out these sites for more info on NTDs:

http://www.globalnetwork.org http://www.neglectedtropicaldiseases.org/ http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/en/

Join our Facebook group: “ND Fighting NTDs”Meetings will be held every other Wednesday

at 9:00 p.m. in Geddes Hall basement, classroom B036 (usually last 30-40 minutes or less)

Please give us your email if you are not on our listserv already.