A Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases

据估计，世界上六分之一的人口患有被忽视的热带病(NTD)，这是对全球人类健康和福祉的重大挑战，这已得到联合国(UN)的承认。联合国关于“健康和福祉”的可持续发展目标的主要目标之一是“确保所有人的健康和福祉”。2014年，185个国家的17亿人至少需要治疗一种非传染性疾病，因此，在治疗非传染性疾病的新药开发方面取得进展至关重要。事实上，联合国设定的目标是“到2030年，结束艾滋病、结核病、疟疾和被忽视的热带病的流行，抗击肝炎、水源性疾病和其他传染病。”支持实现这一目标的是许多旨在治疗艾滋病(例如全球基金)、结核病(例如全球基金)和疟疾(例如疟疾风险药物)的世界范围内的项目，但目前没有相应的全球范围的持续努力来治疗非传染性疾病。我们的全球NTD网络将填补这一空白，并通过这样做，将有助于实现联合国关于“健康和福祉”的目标。在NTD病原体的范围内，昆虫传播的寄生虫是对整个发展中世界人类健康的主要威胁。特别是，利什曼病和恰加斯病对研究投资和基础设施水平较低的发展中国家来说是一项重大挑战，缺乏受过适当培训的人员能够制定亟需的解决方案，这加剧了这一挑战。全世界有超过3.5亿人被认为处于危险之中，每年有超过170万新病例，目前有1200万人感染，经济损失可以估计为240万残疾调整寿命年(DALY)，利什曼病对健康的挑战是不可否认的。恰加斯病也存在类似的情况，目前有1000万人感染，仅在拉丁美洲，恰加斯病就导致约70万人(DALY)，几乎是该地区疟疾社会经济死亡人数的6倍。在全球范围内，恰加斯病每年造成的总经济影响估计超过70亿美元。这些疾病国家提出的挑战因以下事实而加剧：目前可用的为数不多的有效药物往往表现出严重的、可能致命的副作用，并具有困难和长期的给药模式，导致发展中国家患者依从性差。此外，即使是最现代的药物也开始出现抗药性的报道。我们将建立一个“全球被忽视热带病网络”，该网络将汇集全世界14个研究所的50多名学者和500多名研究人员，他们都致力于实现共同的目标，即提供有助于抗击利什曼病和恰加斯病的科学进步。

It is estimated that ~1 in 6 of the world's population suffer from a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) representing a significant challenge to global human health and well-being and this has been recognised by the United Nations (UN). One of the primary aims of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal on "Health and Well-Being" is to "ensure health and well-being for all" and with 1.7 billion people in 185 countries requiring treatment for at least one NTD in 2014, advances in the development of new medicines for NTDs is critical. Indeed, the target set by the UN is "By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases." Supporting the delivery of this goal are many world-wide ventures directed towards the treatment of AIDs (e.g. The Global Fund), tuberculosis (e.g. The Global Fund) and malaria (e.g. Medicines for Malaria Venture) but there is currently no corresponding world-wide sustained effort for NTDs. It is this gap that our global NTD network will fill and, in doing so, will contribute to the delivery of the UN's goal on "Health and Well-Being".Within the spectrum of NTD pathogens, insect-borne parasites represent a major threat to human health across the developing world. In particular, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease represent a significant challenge for developing nations with lower levels of research investment and infrastructure exacerbated by a lack of suitably trained personnel capable of developing much needed solutions. With over 350 million people world-wide considered at risk, more than 1.7M new cases each year, 12 million people currently infected and an economic cost that can be estimated in terms of 2.4 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), the health challenge of leishmaniasis is undeniable. A similar situation exists for Chagas disease where there are currently 10M people infected and, in Latin America alone, Chagas disease leads to approx.700,000 (DALYs), nearly six times the socioeconomic toll of malaria in the region. Globally, the total annual economic effect of Chagas disease is estimated at over $7 billion. The challenge presented by these disease states is heightened by the fact that the few efficacious drugs currently available often exhibit serious, potentially fatal, side-effects, and have difficult and prolonged modes of administration leading to poor patient compliance within developing nations. Moreover, reports of resistance to even the most modern drugs are beginning to emerge. We will establish a "Global Network For Neglected Tropical Diseases" which will bring together over 50 academics and more that 500 researchers at 14 institutes around the world all working towards the common goals of delivering scientific advances that will help to combat Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease