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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/147258
Frequency and distribution of neglected tropical diseases in Mozambique: a systematic review
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Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than one billion people living in vulnerable
conditions. In spite of initiatives recently contributing to fill NTDs gaps on national and local prevalence and
distribution, more epidemiological data are still needed for effective control and elimination interventions.
Main text: Mozambique is considered one of the countries with highest NTDs burden although available
data is scarce. This study aims to conduct a systematic review on published available data about the burden
and distribution of the different NTDs across Mozambique since January 1950 until December 2018. We
identified manuscripts from electronic databases (Pubmed, EmBase and Global Health) and paper publications
and grey literature from Mozambique Ministry of Health. Manuscripts fulfilling inclusion criteria were: crosssectional studies, ecological studies, cohorts, reports, systematic reviews, and narrative reviews capturing
epidemiological information of endemic NTDs in Mozambique. Case-control studies, letters to editor, case
reports and case series of imported cases were excluded. A total of 466 manuscripts were initially identified
and 98 were finally included after the revision following PRISMA guidelines. Eleven NTDs were reported in
Mozambique during the study span. Northern provinces (Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Tete and Zambezia)
and Maputo province had the higher number of NTDs detected. Every disease had their own report profile:
while schistosomiasis have been continuously reported since 1952 until nowadays, onchocerciasis and
cysticercosis last available data is from 2007 and Echinococcosis have never been evaluated in the country.
Thus, both space and time gaps on NTDs epidemiology have been identified.
Conclusions: This review assembles NTDs burden and distribution in Mozambique. Thus, contributes to the
understanding of NTDs epidemiology in Mozambique and highlights knowledge gaps. Hence, the study
provides key elements to progress towards the control and interruption of transmission of these diseases in
the country.
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GRAU PUJOL, Berta, et al. Frequency and distribution of neglected tropical diseases in Mozambique: a systematic review. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2019. Vol. 8. ISSN 2095-5162. [consulted: 14 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/147258