Yellow Fever Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Yellow Fever, including details on immunization, vaccines, symptoms, transmission.

Neglected diseases, civil conflicts, and the right to health.

Beyrer C, Villar JC, Suwanvanichkij V, Singh S, Baral SD, Mills EJ

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. cbreyer@jhsph.edu

Neglected diseases remain one of the largest causes of disease and mortality. In addition to the difficulties in provision of appropriate drugs for specific diseases, many other factors contribute to the prevalence of such diseases and the difficulties in reducing their burden. We address the role that poor governance and politically motivated oppression have on the epidemiology of neglected diseases. We give case examples including filariasis in eastern Burma and vector-borne diseases (Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and yellow fever) in Colombia, we show the links between systematic human rights violations and the effects of infectious disease on health. We also discuss the role of researchers in advocating for and researching within oppressed populations.

Published 20 August 2007 in Lancet, 370(9587): 619-27.
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