title: Diagnostics are central for a truly holistic approach against intestinal parasitic diseases.
abstract: This is a perspectives piece on the central role of diagnostics for a truly holistic approach against gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic diseases. This article was motivated by a recent review in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, where Absar Alum and colleagues (September 2010) reviewed the global burden, key transmission pathways, current tools and strategies, and provided their vision of a holistic approach to control GI protozoan and helminthic infections in humans. We argue that, as the success of multiple rounds of national deworming campaigns are actualized in various parts of the world, diagnostics become vital to achieve successful elimination and to aid pharmacovigilance against emerging pathogen resistance to the limited deworming pharmacopoeia.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Group in Demography, Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. mharhay@pop.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Michael O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Harhay
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: Piero L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Olliaro
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Utzinger
mesh_terms: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents