The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), out of which as many as 12 are parasitic diseases. The paradox is that although neglected, these parasitic diseases are rampant with the highest burden in the economically challenged countries in the three continents of Asia, Africa, and South America. As per WHO estimates, the disease burden due to intestinal helminths alone was 39 million, and in India, about 21% population may be infected with this group of parasites.[1] As per the latest information, malaria and other NTDs account for almost 63 million cases globally.[2] Many of these diseases are endemic in India as well. This calls for a strong effort by the academicians, medical research bodies, and medical education system to strengthen the education, diagnostic laboratories, and research work in the field of parasitology.
The present issue features a review article on host–parasite interaction in Entamoeba histolytica and the interesting role played by the gut microbiota in pathogenesis.[3] There are six original articles in this issue. A joint study from Columbia, South America, and Spain has investigated the antiplasmodial activity of various plant extracts which has been reported in this issue.[4] Blastocystis hominis remains a controversial pathogen, and its detection by polymerase chain reaction and microscopy features in another article from Egypt.[5] A 12-year study of cyclosporiasis from Uttar Pradesh[6] and a 2-year study of amebic liver abscess from Rajasthan[7] are reported in this issue. Various gut parasites found in the common fly is the subject of another article from Nigeria,[8] while the status of mass drug administration for filariasis in India during COVID-19 pandemic is reported in the other original article.[9]
In the case series section, we have one article on Acanthamoeba keratitis cases[10] while the dispatch section includes an interesting case of the emerging pathogen Lophomonas blattarum reported from Chhattisgarh.[11] The other dispatch is a report of ocular enterobiasis.[12] There are two letters to the editor in this issue,[1314] and the obituary[15] of Prof RC Mahajan, an eminent parasitologist from India whom we lost last year.
We hope that the readers will be having a good read of the articles of their interest.
REFERENCES
1. Praharaj I, Sarkar R, Rao Ajjampur SS, Roy S, Kang G. Temporal trends of intestinal parasites in patients attending a tertiary care hospital in south India: A seven-year retrospective analysis Indian J Med Res. 2017;146:111–20
2. Roser M, Ritchie H, Spooner F. “Burden of Disease” 2021Last accessed on 2022 Nov 10 Online Resource. Available from:
https://ourworldindata.org/burden-ofdisease
3. Singh A, Banerjee T. Host-parasite interactions in infections due to
Entamoeba histolytica: A tale of known and unknown Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:69–77
4. Vergara S, Diaz F, Diez A, Bautista JM, Moneriz C, Vergara S, Diaz F, Diez A, Bautista JM, Moneriz C.
In vitro antiplasmodial activity of selected plants from the Colombian North Coast with low cytotoxicity Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:78–86
5. Tolba MM, Allam AF, Khalil SS, Elshouki WM, Shehab AY. Evaluation of microscopy and PCR for detection of
Dientamoeba fragilis Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:87–93
6. Ghoshal U, Siddiqui T, Tejan N, Verma S, Pandey A, Ghoshal UC. Cyclosporiasis in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients – A Twelve years experience from a tertiary care centre in Northern India Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:94–8
7. Bansal Y, Maurya V, Tak V, Bohra GK, Kumar D, Goel AD, et al Clinical and laboratory profile of patients with amoebic liver abscess Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:113–8
8. Otu-Bassey IB, Efretuei GK, Mbah M. Gut Parasites of medical importance harboured by
Musca domestica in Calabar, Nigeria Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:99–104
9. Chakraborty S, Bhattacharya T. Coverage and compliance of mass drug administration in lymphatic filariasis amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: A community based epidemiological study Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:105–12
10. Ahmed NH, Rathod PG, Satpathy G, Tandon R, Sharma N, Titiyal JS.
Acanthamoeba keratitis: Experience from a tertiary eye care center in North India Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:119–23
11. Keche A, Khatoon S, Sahu D. Detection of a Lophomonas, a rare pathogen in bronchoalveolar lavage Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:124–6
12. Bose S, Mondal T, Das SK, Chakraborty A, Ghosh S, Pramanik N, et al Rare presentations of ocular enterobiasis – Case reports Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:126–9
13. Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. Cysticercosis and co-incidence with COVID-19 Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:130
14. Goel A, Bansal R, Bansal P. Triple Infection with Dengue, Chikungunya and Malaria Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:131–2
15. Khurana S. Obituary: Dr.Ramesh Chander Mahajan Trop Parasitol. 2022;12:133–4
