Improvements of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and appropriate health-seeking behavior are necessary for achieving sustained control, elimination, or eradication of many neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Indeed, the global strategies to fight NTDs include provision of WASH, but few programs have specific WASH targets and approaches. Collaboration between disease control programs and stakeholders in WASH is a critical next step. A group of stakeholders from the NTD control, child health, and WASH sectors convened in late 2012 to discuss opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration. The group agreed on a common vision, namely “Disease-free communities that have adequate and equitable access to water and sanitation, and that practice good hygiene.” Four key areas of collaboration were identified, including (i) advocacy, policy, and communication; (ii) capacity building and training; (iii) mapping, data collection, and monitoring; and (iv) research. We discuss strategic opportunities and ways forward for enhanced collaboration between the WASH and the NTD sectors.

Abstract. Anemia affects one-quarter of the world's population, but its etiology remains poorly understood. We determined the prevalence of anemia and studied underlying risk factors in infants (6-23 months), young school-aged children (6-8 years), and young non-pregnant women (15-25 years) in south-central Cô te d'Ivoire. Blood, stool, and urine samples were subjected to standardized, quality-controlled methods. We found high prevalence of anemia, malaria, inflammation, and deficiencies of iron, riboflavin, and vitamin A but low prevalence and intensities of soil-transmitted helminth and schistosome infections. Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant associations between anemia and Plasmodium falciparum for infants, inflammation for school-aged children, and cellular iron deficiency for both school-aged children and non-pregnant women. Women with riboflavin deficiency had significantly lower odds of anemia. Our findings call for interventions to protect infants from malaria, improved intake of dietary iron, better access to health care, and health education.

AimTo determine the genetic diversity of invasive snails (Pomacea spp.) that are implicated in crop damage, environmental degradation and human disease, and to determine their distribution pattern in a large part of eastern Asia.Location People's Republic of China (P.R. China). MethodsWe collected Pomacea snails in a national survey using a grid sampling approach. Overall, 544 snails from 54 sites were used for the present investigation. The mitochondrial cox1 gene was amplified and sequenced from all the snails. We determined and classified the haplotypes using network analyses and mapped them within P.R. China. Haplotypes from this study, together with sequences available from GenBank, were used to reveal the global distribution of Pomacea canaliculata and P. insularum. Results We obtained 521 cox1 sequences and identified 24 unique haplotypes. Six haplotypes were commonly found in P.R. China. Two species, P. canaliculata and P. insularum, and one cryptic group were observed. The distribution of the 24 haplotypes across P.R. China shows a mosaic pattern. Globally, only six of 112 haplotypes of P. canaliculata, P. insularum, P. dolioides, P. lineata and P. paludosa are shared between introduced and native snail populations. We found 16 haplotype clusters, five of which occur in mainland P.R. China. Three of the five clusters could be traced back to South America. The remaining two clusters were unique to P.R. China.Main conclusions Phylogenetic analyses indicate that P. canaliculata, P. insularum and two cryptic groups, discovered by the present and previous studies, coexist in the mainland of P.R. China. The mosaic distribution and the high diversity found in the collection sites suggests multiple and secondary introductions. The findings indicate the importance of preventing further intentional introductions and call for appraisal of the risk posed by these snails in vulnerable areas. Discrimination of the ecological impacts of the different species or genotypes will help to develop setting-specific management strategies.