02247nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653002500054653003200079653002800111653002000139653003100159100001200190700001500202700001500217700001300232700001600245700001500261245013900276856007300415520150300488022001401991       2021                            d  c10/202110alymphatic filariasis10aNeglected Tropical Diseases10apreventive chemotherapy10aschistosomiasis10asoil-transmitted helminths1 aByrne A1 aRosário A1 aFerreira M1 aSantos M1 aRollinson D1 aVaz Nery S00aProgress towards control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases targeted by preventive chemotherapy in São Tomé e Príncipe.  uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8574488/pdf/trab153.pdf3 a<p>The São Tomé e Príncipe government is committed to achieving neglected tropical disease (NTD) control and elimination as a public health problem by 2025. In 2014, the Ministry of Health led a national survey to determine the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and schistosomiasis across the country. Following this survey, a preventive chemotherapy (PC) campaign with mebendazole and praziquantel reached 31 501 school-age children in 2015. A follow-up 2017 survey to determine the impact of the intervention showed success in controlling schistosomiasis, as no infections were found, but limited impact on STHs, with prevalence similar to pretreatment levels. The survey also investigated the prevalence of a third NTD, lymphatic filariasis (LF), which was found to be endemic in the country. Since then the Ministry of Health has developed the Strategic Plan for the Fight Against Neglected Tropical Diseases 2019-2025 and identified gaps to be addressed. This narrative review systematises the existing literature reporting on the epidemiology of NTDs for which there are PC programs in São Tomé e Príncipe. PubMed was searched for relevant papers that measured the prevalence of LF, schistosomiasis and STHs. Additionally, data provided by the Ministry of Health surveys were analysed. Finally, we discuss current NTD control, including the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and identify priorities for program strengthening and operational research.</p>
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