Table 2 Potential areas for intervention in infectious diseases that affect the nervous system.
From: Global research priorities for infections that affect the nervous system
Disease | Vaccine available | Control of zoonotic reservoirs | Control of vector populations | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VIRAL | ||||
Dengue | New dengue vaccines being tested in large field trials | NA | Yes | None available |
Chikungunya | No | NA | Yes | None available |
Japanese encephalitis | Yes | No | Yes | None available |
Rabies | Yes | Yes | NA | None available |
HSV encephalitis | No | NA | NA | Yes |
VZV | Yes | NA | NA | Yes |
Congenital cytomegalovirus | No | NA | NA | Yes |
HIV-related | ||||
HIV | No | NA | NA | Yes |
Cryptococcal meningitis | No | NA | NA | Yes |
Toxoplasma encephalitis | No | Yes | NA | Yes |
BACTERIAL | ||||
Neonatal sepsis and meningitis | No | NA | NA | Yes |
Bacterial meningitis | Yes, for Haemophilus influenzae type b, and pneumococcal (multiple serotypes) and meningococcal (A, C, Y and W135) meningitis | NA | NA | Yes |
Tuberculous meningitis | Partial protection provided by BCG vaccination | Infrequent (cases due to Mycobacterium bovid and Mycobacterium caprae, both of which are present in cattle, reported) | NA | Yes |
Neurosyphilis | No | NA | NA | Yes |
PARASITIC | ||||
Neurocysticercosis | No | Porcine vaccine trials underway, pig treatment available | NA | Yes |
Malaria | RTS,S vaccine had efficacy in phase III studies and other vaccines are being developed | NA except for Plasmodium knowlesi | Yes | Yes |
STH | No. Hookworm vaccine is in phase I trials, but is linked to adverse events | NA except for Toxocara canis | NA | Yes |
Schistosomiasis | No, but phase I vaccine trials are ongoing | Bovine vaccine trials underway for Schistosoma japonicum | Yes | Yes |
BCG, Bacillus Calmette–Guérin; HSV, herpes simplex virus; NA, not applicable; STH, soil-transmitted helminth; VZV, varicella-zoster virus. | ||||
