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The concept of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) emerged more than a decade ago and has been recognised as a valid way to categorise diseases that affect the poorest individuals. Substantial progress in control and elimination has been achieved and policy momentum has been generated through continued bilateral, philanthropic, and non-governmental development organisation (NGDO) support, and donations of drugs from pharmaceutical companies. WHO has defined a Roadmap to reach 2020 targets, which was endorsed by member states in a World Health Assembly Resolution in 2013. NTDs have been included within the Sustainable Development Goal targets and are a crucial component of universal health coverage, conceptualised as “leaving no one behind”. WHO reported that more than 1 billion people in 88 countries have benefited from preventive chemotherapy in 2014. The research agenda has defined the need for affordable products (diagnostics, drugs and insecticides). However challenges such as insecurity and weak health systems continue to prevail in the poorest countries, inhibiting progress in scaling up and also in achieving Roadmap goals.

Although many examples of highly cost-effective interventions to control neglected tropical diseases exist, our understanding of the full economic effect that these diseases have on individuals, households, and nations needs to be improved to target interventions more effectively and equitably. We review data for the effect of neglected tropical diseases on a population's health and economy. We also present evidence on the costs, cost-effectiveness, and financing of strategies to monitor, control, or reduce morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. We explore the potential for economies of scale and scope in terms of the costs and benefits of successfully delivering large-scale and integrated interventions. The low cost of neglected tropical disease control is driven by four factors: the commitment of pharmaceutical companies to provide free drugs; the scale of programmes; the opportunities for synergising delivery modes; and the often non-remunerated volunteer contribution of communities and teachers in drug distribution. Finally, we make suggestions for future economic research.

The article presents measurements of the wake field behind three riser models obtained using a Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV). The riser models include a circular rigid cylinder, a cylinder fitted with fairings and a cylinder fitted with strakes. According to results, the transverse vibration amplitudes for both the faired and straked cylinder were far less than those of the bare cylinder. In addition, the modes of vortex shedding observed behind the bare cylinder did not occur behind either the faired or straked cylinder.

Lymphatic filariasis is recognized as one of the world's most disabling diseases. Adult lymphatic filarial nematodes live for several years; they infest the lymphatic and blood systems, and are transmitted via mosquito vectors. Acute and chronic disease can develop, manifesting as acute inflammation, hydrocoele, lymphoedema and elephantiasis. The development of a global programme for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (focusing on disease caused by Wuchereria bancrofti) followed a resolution by the World Health Assembly in 1997 that endemic countries should develop programmes to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. This developed from an earlier recommendation by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication in 1993 that lymphatic filariasis was one of six diseases that could, in theory, be eradicated. Herein we review the current status and future prospects of the Global Lymphatic Filariasis Programme, which was launched in 2000.

The African and American trypanosomiases remain major public health problems. Parasitological diagnosis is often difficult because of the low number of blood-stream trypanosomes present. A number of advances in diagnostic methods have been made recently, ranging from direct parasite detection to polymerase chain reaction-based methods. Vector control remains the most effective transmission control measure in most ecological situations for both types of disease. Chemotherapy and prophylaxis do not hold much promise, except in African trypanosomiasis where a new but expensive drug is now available, and there is better understanding of the pharmacological properties of the established drugs. Impressive advances in our understanding of human trypanosome biology are being made in many areas of study; whether these advances can be translated into improved control and treatment remains to be seen.

Gas Liquid Chromatography was used to obtain profiles of cuticular hydrocarbons from single larvae of two species belonging to the Anopheles gambiaecomplex: A. gambiaeand A. arabiensis. By applying discriminant analysis of hydrocarbons it was possible to separate the two populations with a 95% success rate. The same analysis was used to achieve an average of 94% segregation among their strains. This analysis does not require preservation of specimen by liquid nitrogen or refrigeration and further identification by other procedures can be carried out on the specimens after cuticular hydrocarbon analysis. More importantly the technique permits analysis of single rather than pooled specimens used by earlier investigators. Les profils de hydrocarbones de la cuticle des larves individuelles de deux espéces appartenant au complex Anopheles gambiae(A. gambiaeet A. arabiensis) furent obtenus grâce á la chromatographic á phase gaseuse. En utilisant l’analyse du discriminant aux hydrocarbones il a étè possible de separer les deux populations avec un taux de succes de 95%. La même analyse a étè utilisé pour atteindre une moyenne de 94% de separation entre ces espéces. L’analyse ne necessite pas la preservation des specimen dans du nitrogene ou dans le frigidaire et d’autre procedures d’identification peuvent être effectuer après l’analyse des hydrocarbones. Plus important, la technique permet l’analyse d’un seul specimen au lieu de plusieurs comme precedament.

African trypanosomiasisin humans is caused by trypanosomes, parasitic protozoa that inhabit the blood and tissue spaces. Humans are infected by the bite of the tsetse (Glossina species), which itself acquires the parasites from human or animal hosts. The vector and the disease are confined to sub-saharan Africa where the disease occurs in endemicfoci from which epidemics arise. Two forms of African trypanosomiasisin humans are recognized and both are fatal if left untreated. Control strategy is dependent on the capacity of the public health services to diagnose and treat cases, and the maintenance of surveillance is essential if epidemics are to be prevented. In epidemics this strategy should be extended to include vector-control measures to break transmission of the diseasewhilecasescontinue to be diagnosedand treated. Eradication of the vector is not feasible nor can animal reservoirs be eliminated. National authorities must thus maintain surveillance to reduce the human reservoir of infection in order for low levels of endemicityt particularly in areas where epidemics have occurred in the past, to be retained.