01928nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001700058653002400075653002100099100001200120700001300132700001300145700001400158700001400172700001300186700001300199700001400212700001300226245006400239856015300303300001100456520118100467022001401648       2021                            d  bElsevier BV10aParasitology10aInfectious Diseases10aGeneral Medicine1 aWanji S1 aDeribe K1 aMinich J1 aDebrah AY1 aKalinga A1 aKroidl I1 aLuguet A1 aHoerauf A1 aRitter M00aPodoconiosis – From known to unknown: Obstacles to tackle  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X21000978/pdfft?md5=ff59416e4146e1df18babf2f7ca8762f&pid=1-s2.0-S0001706X21000978-main.pdf  a1059183 aPodoconiosis is a non-filarial and non-communicable disease leading to lymphedema of the lower limbs. Worldwide, 4 million individuals live with podoconiosis, which is accompanied by disability and painful intermittent acute inflammatory episodes that attribute to significant disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Different risk factors like contact with volcanic red clay soil, high altitude (above 1000m), high seasonal rainfall (above 1000 mm/year) and occupation (e.g., subsistence farmer) are associated with the risk of podoconiosis. Although podoconiosis was described to be endemic in 32 countries in Africa, parts of Latin America and South East Asia, knowledge about related genetics, pathophysiology, immunology and especially the causing molecule(s) in the soil remain uncertain. Thus, podoconiosis can be considered as one of the most neglected diseases. This review provides an overview about this non-filarial related geochemical disease and aim to present perspectives and future directions that might be important for better understanding of the disease, prospect for point-of-care diagnosis, achieving protection and developing novel treatment strategies.  a0001-706X