(KPL/Prensa Latina) So far, between 4,000 and 5,000 people have been diagnosed in Italy as affected by the so-called Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), according to a report published today on the world day of these ailments.

The growing presence of these diseases in this nation demands greater attention, according to a joint communiqué issued by the Italian Health Institute (ISS) and the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) on the occasion of this date, established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight the importance of addressing this problem.

The 21 NTDs, caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, affect about 1.6 billion people in the world and are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, as ‘together they have an impact on global health on the order of magnitude of the three big killers: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria,’ the note points out.

Although most of these diseases are not endemic in Italy, some are transmitted directly in the country, among them dengue fever, of which 693 cases were recorded in 2024, with 213 autochthonous cases, a figure never before reached, says the report, which also refers to 15 cases of chikungunya last year, all imported.

Since 1998, 600 cases of the potentially fatal Chagas disease have been diagnosed in this European nation, while hundreds of people have been affected by strongyloidiasis, a disease caused by a small parasitic nematode worm.

Besides Chagas disease, there are other neglected diseases most frequently diagnosed in Italy such as schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, a helminthiasis transmitted by contact with soil, as well as cysticercosis, scabies, filariasis, leishmaniasis and cystic echinococcosis.

KPL