Volume II: Re-emergence of neglected tropical diseases amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Epidemiology, transmission, mitigation strategies, and recent advances in chemotherapy and vaccines

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) continue to impose a substantial burden on global public health, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable populations in tropical and subtropical regions. Despite the WHO’s 2021–2030 roadmap for the control, elimination, and eradication of NTDs, progress remains uneven, compounded by the long-term disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic inflicted on mass drug administration (MDA) programs, diagnostic services, and healthcare infrastructure worldwide.Following the success of the first volume of this Research Topic, which documented the re-emergence of key NTDs in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and attracted over 80,000 views and 151 contributing authors, this second volume builds on that foundation. As the post-pandemic period has unfolded, new and persisting challenges have become apparent: mpox has re-entered the international agenda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (WHO, August 2024), with Clade Ib exhibiting distinct transmission dynamics and geographic expansion into Central and East Africa; Marburg virus disease has been reported in countries without prior recorded outbreaks, including Equatorial Guinea (2023) and Tanzania (2023); and antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiparasitic resistance continues to threaten the efficacy of existing treatment protocols. Concurrently, advances in mRNA vaccine platforms, novel drug targets, and computational drug discovery are creating new avenues for NTD prevention and treatment.The goal of this second volume is to build on the evidence base established in Volume I, with an emphasis on recent developments in disease epidemiology, therapeutic advances, and translational strategies for outbreak preparedness. Articles submitted on COVID-19 as a primary topic, or on non-NTD infectious diseases not listed in the WHO NTD portfolio, fall outside the scope of this collection. We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Opinion articles, and Commentaries addressing the following themes, among others:Evolving epidemiology: Updated surveillance data and epidemiological analyses of NTDs in the post-COVID-19 era, including new outbreak investigations, re-emergence events, and the long-term legacy of pandemic-related disruptions on NTD burden.Transmission dynamics and vectors: Studies on intermediate hosts, vector ecology, and environmental or climatic factors driving the geographic spread of NTDs into non-endemic regions.Rapid diagnostics and surveillance: Novel point-of-care diagnostic tools, genomic surveillance methodologies, and digital health strategies for early detection and real-time monitoring of NTD outbreaks.Drug discovery and resistance: Recent advances in antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal drug development — with particular focus on emerging resistance mechanisms, novel molecular targets, and combination pharmacotherapy.Vaccine development and delivery: Progress in vaccine platforms (including mRNA-based approaches), adjuvant systems, and strategies to improve vaccine equity and access in low- and middle-income countries.Mass drug administration and public health interventions: Evaluation of ongoing or resumed MDA programs, universal health coverage strategies, water safety and sanitation improvements, and community-based approaches to NTD control and eradication.One Health approaches: Veterinary public health, zoonotic disease interfaces, and integrated strategies linking human, animal, and environmental health to sustainable NTD control.Translational and computational approaches: In silico drug design, AI-assisted target identification, high-throughput screening, and systems biology tools applied to NTD research, with a focus on methodological advances that complement and accelerate the pharmacological priorities described above.Note to Authors: Manuscripts submitted to this Research Topic via Frontiers in Tropical Diseases will only be considered if the disease addressed is included in the WHO NTD list. Any WHO-listed NTD may also be submitted for review via Frontiers in Pharmacology. Topic editors: Ranjan K. Mohapatra, Snehasish Mishra, Dr. Venkataramana Kandi Ph.D., MAMS, FAGE, FRCPath (London), Chandra Sekhar Sirka, Lawrence Sena Tuglo, Dr.Sarika Verma Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82594/volume-ii-re-emergence-of-neglected-tropical-diseases-amid-the-covid-19-pandemic-epidemiology-transmission-mitigation-strategies-and-recent-advances-in-chemotherapy-and-vaccines