Because neglected tropical diseases are so common in low- and middle-income countries, it is critically important to determine how they contribute to the burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases in those regions.
Caryn Bern et al. review the major clinical features and epidemiology of leishmaniasis, and describe aspects of the disease burden. In a related Viewpoint article, Richard Reithinger takes another look at the burden estimates, and, in a related Symposium article, Masoom Kassi et al. describe the social stigma associated with the disease.
Marianela Castillo-Riquelme and colleagues analyze the substantial cost of treating Chagas disease, and say that preventing disease transmission through insecticide spraying activities is affordable in Colombia and therefore should be conducted more systematically.
Researchers demonstrate that the human affinity of the dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus is increased in warmer temperatures, and predict that, as a result of globalization and warming, more pathogens transmitted by this tick may emerge in the future.
By using a correlative microscopy approach incorporating video microscopy, electron microscopy of eggs prepared by high pressure freezing, and lectin immunocytochemistry, the authors describe the pre-hatching state of S. japonicum eggs, and trace changes that occur during hatching.
Welcome to PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the first open-access journal devoted to the world's most neglected tropical diseases. We encourage you to add your Notes, Comments, and Ratings to articles.
E-mail Alerts
RSS (What is RSS?)
Join PLoSRead the PLoS Blog 
and contribute your views on scientific research and open-access publishing.
All site content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
