The neuro-encephalitic stage (or stage 2) of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness) is fatal if untreated, and accuracy of diagnosis and staging of infections is therefore essential. HAT diagnostic algorithms are complex and rely on outdated tests. Stage 2 diagnosis requires demonstration of parasites or inflammation in the cerebro-spinal fluid, a sample of which is obtained from patients through lumbar puncture. Lumbar puncture is a dangerous and painful procedure. Current research on better and simpler HAT diagnostic tests will hopefully obviate this requirement in the years to come. See Checchi et al, doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001233.
Image Credit: Robin Meldrum (Médecins Sans Frontières)
Editorial
Linking Global HIV/AIDS Treatments with National Programs for the Control and Elimination of the Neglected Tropical Diseases
Julie Noblick, Richard Skolnik, Peter J. Hotez
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001022
Viewpoints
Cystic Echinococcosis: Chronic, Complex, and Still Neglected
Enrico Brunetti, Hector H. Garcia, Thomas Junghanss, on behalf of the members of the International CE Workshop in Lima, Peru, 2009
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001146
Policy Platform
The Struggle of Neglected Scientific Groups: Ten Years of NeTropica Efforts to Promote Research in Tropical Diseases in Central America
Edgardo Moreno, José María Gutiérrez, Esteban Chaves-Olarte
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001055
Leishmaniasis: Middle East and North Africa Research and Development Priorities
Mary Ann McDowell, Sima Rafati, Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao, Afif Ben Salah
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001219
From Innovation to Application
Improved PCR-RFLP for the Detection of Diminazene Resistance in Trypanosoma congolense under Field Conditions Using Filter Papers for Sample Storage
Hervé Sèna Vitouley, Erick Ouma Mungube, Emmanuel Allegye-Cudjoe, Oumar Diall, Zakaria Bocoum, Boucader Diarra, Thomas F. Randolph, Burkhard Bauer, Peter-Henning Clausen, Dirk Geysen, Issa Sidibe, Zakaria Bengaly, Peter Van den Bossche, Vincent Delespaux
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001223
Research Articles
Effects of Irritant Chemicals on Aedes aegypti Resting Behavior: Is There a Simple Shift to Untreated "Safe Sites"?
Hortance Manda, Luana M. Arce, Tarra Foggie, Pankhil Shah, John P. Grieco, Nicole L. Achee
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001243
Randomized Clinical Trial on Ivermectin versus Thiabendazole for the Treatment of Strongyloidiasis
Zeno Bisoffi, Dora Buonfrate, Andrea Angheben, Marina Boscolo, Mariella Anselmi, Stefania Marocco, Geraldo Monteiro, Maria Gobbo, Giulia Bisoffi, Federico Gobbi
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 26, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001254
Laboratory Confirmation of Buruli Ulcer Disease in Togo, 2007–2010
Gisela Bretzel, Kristina Lydia Huber, Basil Kobara, Marcus Beissner, Ebekalisai Piten, Karl-Heinz Herbinger, Franz Xaver Wiedemann, Komi Amekuse, Abiba Banla Kere, Kerstin Helfrich, Erna Fleischmann, Thomas Löscher, Adolf Diefenhardt, Jörg Nitschke
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001228
Mycolactone Diffuses into the Peripheral Blood of Buruli Ulcer Patients - Implications for Diagnosis and Disease Monitoring
Fred S. Sarfo, Fabien Le Chevalier, N'Guetta Aka, Richard O. Phillips, Yaw Amoako, Ivo G. Boneca, Pascal Lenormand, Mireille Dosso, Mark Wansbrough-Jones, Romain Veyron-Churlet, Laure Guenin-Macé, Caroline Demangel
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001237
Effect of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections on Physical Fitness of School Children in Côte d'Ivoire
Ivan Müller, Jean T. Coulibaly, Thomas Fürst, Stefanie Knopp, Jan Hattendorf, Stefanie J. Krauth, Katarina Stete, Aurélie A. Righetti, Dominik Glinz, Adrien K. Yao, Uwe Pühse, Eliézer K. N'Goran, Jürg Utzinger
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001239
Lymphatic Filariasis: A Method to Identify Subclinical Lower Limb Change in PNG Adolescents
Susan Gordon, Wayne Melrose, Jeffrey Warner, Petra Buttner, Leigh Ward
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001242
Clinical and Virological Factors Influencing the Performance of a NS1 Antigen-Capture Assay and Potential Use as a Marker of Dengue Disease Severity
Veasna Duong, Sowath Ly, Patrich Lorn Try, Anne Tuiskunen, Sivuth Ong, Norith Chroeung, Ake Lundkvist, Isabelle Leparc-Goffart, Vincent Deubel, Sirenda Vong, Philippe Buchy
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001244
Emergence of a Globally Dominant IncHI1 Plasmid Type Associated with Multiple Drug Resistant Typhoid
Kathryn E. Holt, Minh Duy Phan, Stephen Baker, Pham Thanh Duy, Tran Vu Thieu Nga, Satheesh Nair, A. Keith Turner, Ciara Walsh, Séamus Fanning, Sinéad Farrell-Ward, Shanta Dutta, Sam Kariuki, François-Xavier Weill, Julian Parkhill, Gordon Dougan, John Wain
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001245
Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Reveals Profound Genetic Diversity among Isolates of the Human Pathogen Bartonella bacilliformis
Gemma L. Chaloner, Palmira Ventosilla, Richard J. Birtles
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001248
A Screen against Leishmania Intracellular Amastigotes: Comparison to a Promastigote Screen and Identification of a Host Cell-Specific Hit
Geraldine De Muylder, Kenny K. H. Ang, Steven Chen, Michelle R. Arkin, Juan C. Engel, James H. McKerrow
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 19, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001253
Evidence That Lipopolisaccharide May Contribute to the Cytokine Storm and Cellular Activation in Patients with Visceral Leishmaniasis
Joanna R. Santos-Oliveira, Eduardo G. Regis, Cássia R. B. Leal, Rivaldo V. Cunha, Patrícia T. Bozza, Alda M. Da-Cruz
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 12, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001198
Polyethyleneimine (PEI) Mediated siRNA Gene Silencing in the Schistosoma mansoni Snail Host, Biomphalaria glabrata
Matty Knight, Andre Miller, Yijia Liu, Puthupparampil Scaria, Martin Woodle, Wannaporn Ittiprasert
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 12, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001212
Structural and Topographic Dynamics of Pulmonary Histopathology and Local Cytokine Profiles in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Conidia-Infected Mice
Damaris Lopera, Tonny W. Naranjo, Oswaldo G. Cruz, Angela Restrepo, Luz Elena Cano, Henrique Leonel Lenzi
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 12, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001232
C-Terminal Domain Deletion Enhances the Protective Activity of cpa/cpb Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles against Leishmania major in BALB/c Mice
Delaram Doroud, Farnaz Zahedifard, Alireza Vatanara, Yasaman Taslimi, Rouholah Vahabpour, Fatemeh Torkashvand, Behrooz Vaziri, Abdolhossein Rouholamini Najafabadi, Sima Rafati
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 12, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001236
Reduction in Acute Filariasis Morbidity during a Mass Drug Administration Trial to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in Papua New Guinea
Daniel J. Tisch, Neal D. E. Alexander, Benson Kiniboro, Henry Dagoro, Peter M. Siba, Moses J. Bockarie, Michael P. Alpers, James W. Kazura
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 12, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001241
Measuring Fitness of Kenyan Children with Polyparasitic Infections Using the 20-Meter Shuttle Run Test as a Morbidity Metric
Amaya L. Bustinduy, Charles L. Thomas, Justin J. Fiutem, Isabel M. Parraga, Peter L. Mungai, Eric M. Muchiri, Francis Mutuku, Uriel Kitron, Charles H. King
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 5, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001213
Trichinella spiralis Paramyosin Binds to C8 and C9 and Protects the Tissue-Dwelling Nematode from Being Attacked by Host Complement
Zhifei Zhang, Jing Yang, Junfei Wei, Yaping Yang, Xiaoqin Chen, Xi Zhao, Yuan Gu, Shijuan Cui, Xinping Zhu
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 5, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001225
Genotype V Japanese Encephalitis Virus Is Emerging
Ming-Hua Li, Shi-Hong Fu, Wei-Xin Chen, Huan-Yu Wang, Yu-Hong Guo, Qi-Yong Liu, Yi-Xing Li, Hui-Ming Luo, Wa Da, Dun Zhu Duo Ji, Xiu-Min Ye, Guo-Dong Liang
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 5, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001231
Accuracy of Five Algorithms to Diagnose Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis
Francesco Checchi, François Chappuis, Unni Karunakara, Gerardo Priotto, Daniel Chandramohan
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: published July 5, 2011 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0001233