The Global Atlas of Helminth Infection: Mapping the Way Forward in Neglected Tropical Disease Control

The recent commitment of the Obama administration to establish the Global Health Initiative, which is expected to increase to over US100 million annually for neglected tropical disease (NTD) control, provides the most significant investment and opportunity for the global control of NTDs to date 1, 2. These investments, together with commitments by the British Department for International Development, the World Bank, and several key private philanthropies, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, must be guided by a strong evidence-based approach. First, the problem, and the resources required to tackle it, need to be clearly quantified. Second, mass drug administration (MDA) should be optimally targeted to communities with the highest prevalence of infection and presumed greatest morbidity 3, 4. Furthermore, for diseases targeted for elimination, including lymphatic filariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis, it will become increasingly important to determine whether MDA can be stopped, and, if so, when and where. In the case of schistosomiasis, as control is scaled up, there is the additional requirement of determining when and where to shift praziquantel treatment from once per year to less frequent intervals.