One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa
Parasites depend on complex life cycles that involve multiple hosts and different environmental elements. Human and animal feces provide a medium for some of these parasites, especially those responsible for some Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), to be transmitted between their intermediate and de...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Tropical Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fitd.2025.1630115/full |
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| author | Verner N. Orish Isaac B. Addei David E. Adzah Acheampong G. Oteng Moses A. Ayaaba Aleksandra Marinkovic Tatiana Gardellini Ricardo Izurieta Rajashree Pandit Chuku Okorie Adekunle Sanyaolu |
| author_facet | Verner N. Orish Isaac B. Addei David E. Adzah Acheampong G. Oteng Moses A. Ayaaba Aleksandra Marinkovic Tatiana Gardellini Ricardo Izurieta Rajashree Pandit Chuku Okorie Adekunle Sanyaolu |
| author_sort | Verner N. Orish |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Parasites depend on complex life cycles that involve multiple hosts and different environmental elements. Human and animal feces provide a medium for some of these parasites, especially those responsible for some Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), to be transmitted between their intermediate and definitive hosts. Open defecation has been identified as a menace that contributes significantly to the spread of these parasites. While preventive strategies like the WASH initiatives have shown promising results, improper feces disposal has offset these achievements by contaminating the environment, especially soil, water, and crops. Furthermore, the poor attention to open defecation of animals has allowed these parasites to contaminate and pollute the environment and transmit diseases with relative ease, with no environmental legislation. As a result, certain NTDs-Open defecation driven-NTDS such as Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, Schistosomiasis, Taeniasis, Cysticercosis, and Echinococcosis have become increasingly successful in their spread, a situation driven by both human and animal open defecation. This article explores how the practice of open defecation by both humans and animals aids in spreading these NTDs, and it highlights how a One Health integrated approach might provide a lasting solution for these Open defecation driven NTDs in Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8d65f7e8e2f4cd4b9391bf01cbdbfec |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2673-7515 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8d65f7e8e2f4cd4b9391bf01cbdbfec2025-08-20T03:09:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Tropical Diseases2673-75152025-07-01610.3389/fitd.2025.16301151630115One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan AfricaVerner N. Orish0Isaac B. Addei1David E. Adzah2Acheampong G. Oteng3Moses A. Ayaaba4Aleksandra Marinkovic5Tatiana Gardellini6Ricardo Izurieta7Rajashree Pandit8Chuku Okorie9Adekunle Sanyaolu10Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, GhanaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, GhanaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, GhanaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, GhanaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Volta Region, GhanaSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Saint James School of Medicine, Park Ridge, IL, United StatesOffice of Graduate Studies, Universidad Especializada de Las Américas UDELAS, Panamá City, PanamaSchool of Public Health and Health Sciences, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, D’Youville University, Buffalo, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, D’Youville University, Buffalo, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Professions, D’Youville University, Buffalo, NY, United StatesParasites depend on complex life cycles that involve multiple hosts and different environmental elements. Human and animal feces provide a medium for some of these parasites, especially those responsible for some Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), to be transmitted between their intermediate and definitive hosts. Open defecation has been identified as a menace that contributes significantly to the spread of these parasites. While preventive strategies like the WASH initiatives have shown promising results, improper feces disposal has offset these achievements by contaminating the environment, especially soil, water, and crops. Furthermore, the poor attention to open defecation of animals has allowed these parasites to contaminate and pollute the environment and transmit diseases with relative ease, with no environmental legislation. As a result, certain NTDs-Open defecation driven-NTDS such as Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, Schistosomiasis, Taeniasis, Cysticercosis, and Echinococcosis have become increasingly successful in their spread, a situation driven by both human and animal open defecation. This article explores how the practice of open defecation by both humans and animals aids in spreading these NTDs, and it highlights how a One Health integrated approach might provide a lasting solution for these Open defecation driven NTDs in Sub-Saharan Africa.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fitd.2025.1630115/fullopen defecationparasiteshelminthsNTDsone health |
| spellingShingle | Verner N. Orish Isaac B. Addei David E. Adzah Acheampong G. Oteng Moses A. Ayaaba Aleksandra Marinkovic Tatiana Gardellini Ricardo Izurieta Rajashree Pandit Chuku Okorie Adekunle Sanyaolu One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa Frontiers in Tropical Diseases open defecation parasites helminths NTDs one health |
| title | One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | One Health approach for the prevention of open defecation: a panacea for open defecation-driven neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | one health approach for the prevention of open defecation a panacea for open defecation driven neglected tropical diseases in sub saharan africa |
| topic | open defecation parasites helminths NTDs one health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fitd.2025.1630115/full |
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