Last week, October 3, 2012, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) featured an article about the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the effects of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the United States.

There close to 5 million people suffering from NTDs in the United States.  The border region of Texas, the Mississippi Delta, the Cotton Belt, and parts of Appalachia are susceptible to a range of diseases typically associated with developing countries. The high levels of poverty in states such as Texas, with 5 million people living below the poverty line, and the warmer climate create an environment endemic to NTDs. Poverty is the leading risk factor for contracting an NTD.

Doctors or clinics not well versed in NTDs can misdiagnose these diseases, not recognizing the symptoms.  They also face a limited supply of medicine.  It is usually necessary to work with the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) to properly treat patients.  Despite the prevalence of NTDs in the US and the insufficient medical capability to diagnose and treat patients, there has been limited research done on the burden of NTDs in the United States.

The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, founded by the Sabin Vaccine Institute’s President, Dr. Peter Hotez, was created to fill the voids in research and help train clinicians to better address the NTD burden in the US.  To read more about the school, check out the full article here.