Mapping the Geographic Distribution of Tungiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa
Date
2020-07-24
Authors
Deka, Mark A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Abstract
The geographic distribution of tungiasis is poorly understood, despite the frequent occurrence of the disease in marginalized populations of low socioeconomic status. To date, little work is available to define the geography of this neglected tropical disease (NTD). This exploratory study incorporated geostatistical modeling to map the suitability for tungiasis transmission in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In SSA, environmental suitability is predicted in 44 countries, including Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Cote de Ivoire, Mali, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Gabon, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and South Africa. In total, an estimated 668 million people live in suitable areas, 46% (304 million) of which reside in East Africa. These evidence-based maps provide vital evidence of the potential geographic extent in SSA. They will help to guide disease control programs, inform policymakers, and raise awareness at the global level. Likewise, these results will hopefully provide decisionmakers with the pertinent information necessary to lessen morbidity and mortality in communities located in environmentally suitable areas
Description
Keywords
tungiasis, GIS, disease mapping, neglected tropical disease, precision public health, medical geography, Geography and Environmental Studies
Citation
Deka, M. A. (2020). Mapping the geographic distribution of Tungiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 5(3), 122.
Rights
Rights Holder
© 2020 The Authors.
Rights License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.