TY - JOUR KW - Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) KW - Noma KW - Sub-Saharan Africa KW - Poverty AU - Ravinetto R AB -

In this issue of the journal, Srour and others(1) give a comprehensive overview of the history, epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, microbiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of noma, a devastating orofacial gangrene that affects malnourished children in tropical regions. Even if exclusively present in tropical regions, noma is better described as a "poverty disease" rather than as a "tropical disease, " because it has accompanied extreme poverty and poor nutrition for centuries.(2,3) With the exception of cases occurred in concentration camps during World War II,(2,4) noma disappeared from Europe and North America by the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to the economic development and improved access to nutrition and health care.(1,3) Today, it is particularly present in the sub-Saharan Africa "noma belt, " stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia.

BT - The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene C1 -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28115663?dopt=Abstract

DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0997 J2 - Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. LA - eng N2 -

In this issue of the journal, Srour and others(1) give a comprehensive overview of the history, epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, microbiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of noma, a devastating orofacial gangrene that affects malnourished children in tropical regions. Even if exclusively present in tropical regions, noma is better described as a "poverty disease" rather than as a "tropical disease, " because it has accompanied extreme poverty and poor nutrition for centuries.(2,3) With the exception of cases occurred in concentration camps during World War II,(2,4) noma disappeared from Europe and North America by the end of the nineteenth century, thanks to the economic development and improved access to nutrition and health care.(1,3) Today, it is particularly present in the sub-Saharan Africa "noma belt, " stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia.

PY - 2017 T2 - The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene TI - Noma: Time to address a collective moral failure. UR - http://www.ajtmh.org/content/early/2017/01/19/ajtmh.16-0997.full.pdf SN - 1476-1645 ER -