02866nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260004500042653001400087653002300101653002100124653001000145100001400155700001300169700001300182700001600195700001400211700001700225700001400242700001400256700001500270700001500285700001300300700001100313245013800324856007800462300001800540490000700558520195000565022002502515       2026                            d  c05/2026bAmerican Chemical Society (ACS)10aDiagnosis10aDiagnostic Imaging10amachine learning10aserum1 aMaranni A1 aFranca T1 aPorsch C1 aMarangoni B1 aMaranni M1 ade Almeira E1 aMartins L1 aAndrade P1 aFerreira J1 aDomingos S1 aMarcon G1 aCena C00aA Rapid, Antigen-Independent Diagnostic Strategy for Chronic Chagas Disease Based on Serum ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and Machine Learning  uhttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsomega.6c01730?ref=article_openPDF  a34318 - 343260 v113 a<p><strong>Background:</strong></p>

<p>Noma is a neglected tropical disease that predominantly afects young children in sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by rapid orofacial tissue destruction and high mortality. While malnutrition and infections are well-recognized risk factors, less attention has been given to family-level and psychosocial determinants.</p>

<p><strong>Objectives:</strong></p>

<p>To synthesize existing evidence on the role of family pathology in Noma and identify household-level risk factors afecting disease development and outcomes.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:</strong></p>

<p>A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed and MEDLINE were searched through May 2024 for Noma-specifc literature and broader child health studies related to family environment. Data extraction focused on predefned family pathology themes. Narrative synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity of study designs.</p>

<p><strong>Results:</strong></p>

<p>Thirty-fve studies met the eligibility criteria, including Noma-specifc case series, epidemiological reports, and child health literature. Eleven family pathology themes were identifed: child developmental stage, family structure, living area, family income, family size, parental education, parental viability, marital confict, family separation, primary caregiver, and caregiving quality. Poverty, large family size, limited caregiving quality, and psychosocial instability were interconnected, increasing the vulnerability to Noma.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p>

<p>Family dysfunction and socioeconomic deprivation contribute signifcantly to Noma risk. Prevention strategies should integrate family-level interventions, including caregiver education, birth spacing, economic support, and community health outreach. Addressing both biomedical and familial determinants is essential for reducing disease burden.</p>
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