What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)?

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) refers to a diverse group of parasitic and bacterial diseases that are mainly prevalent in low-income populations of tropical areas, especially where people do not have access to clean water or safe ways to dispose of human waste.

NTDs cause significant morbidity and mortality in more than 1 billion people worldwide, and disproportionately affect women and children. These diseases can cause severe disfigurement and disabilities, including developmental disabilities, mobility issues, blindness, and malnutrition. These conditions, in turn, make working difficult for people with NTDs which can cause both social and economic challenges in the regions where they are most common.

What is DDTD Doing to Fight NTDs?

The team at DDTD is actively working on developing rapid diagnostic tests to detect antibodies for a number of NTDs, including Buruli Ulcer, Loiasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis (River Blindness), Paragonimus, and other NTDs. Antibody testing is important as it helps to map diseases, as it determines whether someone has had an active infection or been exposed to (asymptomatic) a given disease.

Mapping diseases is critical for the World Health Organization (WHO) and its affiliates to initiate mass drug administration (MDA) programs, allocate resources, monitor progress, and eventually verify elimination. To combat these diseases we partner with the WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Taskforce for Global Health, the Foundation for New Innovative Diagnostics (FIND), the Carter Center, and many other organizations, developing and producing our rapid tests.

How You Can Help

While a large percentage of our funding comes from government grants, we still rely on the support of donors to help pay for things that government grants won’t cover, such as creating prototypes of rapid tests, in-the-field validation, and other types of expenditures. Join our fight in helping to eradicate NTDs by supporting our efforts today!