Browsing by Author "Chisi, J."
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Item Immunity against HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis during Co-Infections with Neglected Infectious Diseases: Recommendations for the European Union Research Priorities(PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2(6): e255, 2008) Boraschi, D.; Abebe, M.; Aseffa, A.; Chiodi, F.; Chisi, J.; Del Prete, G.; Doherty, T.M.; Elhassan, I.; Engers, H.; Gyan, B.; Harandi, A.M.; Kariuki, T.; Kironde, F.; Kouriba, B.; Langhorne, J.; Laskay, T.; Medaglini, D.; Olesen, O.; Onyebujoh, P.; Palma, C.; Sauerwein, R.; Sibanda, E.; Steinhoff, U.; Tagliabue, A.; Thiel, A.; Vahedi, M.; Troye-Blomberg, M.Infectious diseases remain a major health and socioeconomic problem in many low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. For many years, the three most devastating diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB) have received most of the world's attention. However, in rural and impoverished urban areas, a number of infectious diseases remain neglected and cause massive suffering. It has been calculated that a group of 13 neglected infectious diseases affects over one billion people, corresponding to a sixth of the world's population. These diseases include infections with different types of worms and parasites, cholera, and sleeping sickness, and can cause significant mortality and severe disabilities in low-income countries. For most of these diseases, vaccines are not available, poorly effective, or too expensive. Moreover, these neglected diseases often occur in individuals who are also affected by HIV/AIDS, malaria, or TB, making the problem even more serious and indicating that co-infections are the rule rather than the exception in many geographical areas. To address the importance of combating co-infections, scientists from 14 different countries in Africa and Europe met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on September 9-11, 2007. The message coming from these scientists is that the only possibility for winning the fight against infections in low-income countries is by studying, in the most global way possible, the complex interaction between different infections and conditions of malnourishment. The new scientific and technical tools of the post-genomic era can allow us to reach this goal. However, a concomitant effort in improving education and social conditions will be needed to make the scientific findings effective.