03440nas a2200277 4500000000100000008004100001653002200042653002300064653002900087653001800116653003500134653001100169653001900180653001800199653003300217653003100250100001400281700001400295700001200309245013000321856009000451300001000541490000600551520259100557022001403148 2011 d10aTropical Medicine10aNeglected Diseases10aNational Health Programs10aLeishmaniasis10aIntestinal Diseases, Parasitic10aHumans10aHIV Infections10aHelminthiasis10aCommunicable Disease Control10aAfrica South of the Sahara1 aNoblick J1 aSkolnik R1 aHotez P00aLinking global HIV/AIDS treatments with national programs for the control and elimination of the neglected tropical diseases. uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0001022.PDF ae10220 v53 a

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to more than 90% of the world's cases of onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis, about one-half the world's lymphatic filariasis and trachoma, and one-third of all global soil-transmitted helminth infections [1]. These infections exhibit extensive geographic overlap and polyparasitism in Africa is extremely common [1]–[3]. The neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) produce a devastating level of chronic disability in sub-Saharan Africa, with some estimates suggesting that the NTD disease burden exceeds tuberculosis and is one-half that of malaria [1]. Most of the African population living in poverty is infected with one or more NTDs [1]. In children, the NTDs are responsible for anemia and other forms of malnutrition, intestinal obstruction, and impaired physical and cognitive development [2]–[4]. In adults, NTDs cause anemia, especially in pregnancy, damage to internal organs, and physical disfigurement [2]–[4]. The NTDs are among the most common infections affecting the health and well-being of girls and women [5]. Through their impact on child development, pregnancy outcome, and worker productivity, the NTDs also thwart economic development [6].

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