Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are of global public health importance, particularly to developing countries like Ethiopia. Therefore, assessing and evaluating their trends and distributions in communities is essential to plan and evaluate existing intervention programs. This ten-year retrospective study identified only five of the 20 NTDs namely Helminthiasis, Scabies, Eye Disease (trachoma), Rabies, and Podoconiosis.
The overall ten-year retrospective prevalence of NTDs in Gonji Kollela district was 8.3%, which is lower than the global prevalence of 1.7 billion (21%). The prevalence of Helminthiasis (4.7%) in the present study was lower than previously reported in various regions of Ethiopia. For instance, it was found to be 48% among preschool and school-age children 11, 18.1% among household heads living in the peri-urban areas of Jimma town 12, 25.78% among school children at Sekela Primary School 13, 52.0% among children in Ethiopia 14, 31% among pre-school and school-age children 11, 20.9% among adolescents and adults in Bibugn Woreda 15, and 14.8% among school children in Estie District 16.
In the present study, Scabies, the second most frequent NTD after Helminthiasis, exhibited a prevalence of 2.4%, which was considerably lower than the reported prevalence rates in various regions. For example, it was found to be 10.82% among school-age children in Central Armachiho district 17, 12.93% among Primary School Children in Raya Alamata District 18, 14.5% among all age groups in Ethiopia 19, 23.8% among children under 15 years in Wadila district 20, and 22.4% among school children living in Urban Chidambaram 21.
On the other hand, the prevalence of Eye Disease (Trachoma) reported in this study (0.9%) is lower than observations from other parts of Ethiopia, such as among school-age children in Debre Tabor Town (9.9%) 22, in Northwest Amhara (8.3%) 23, and among 1–9 years old children in Deguatemben, Tigray (21.5%) 24. This variation in prevalence might be attributed to differences in the local endemicity of particular NTDs across different regions and target population for the respective study. Additionally, factors such as the unavailability of safe drinking water, variations in socioeconomic status, poor personal or environmental hygiene conditions, inadequate sanitary disposal of feces, lack of awareness about the transmission of NTDs, and different cultural activities might contribute to the high prevalence of NTDs.
The prevalence of Rabies obtained in the present study (0.2%) was much lower than previously reported in various regions of Ethiopia, including 32% among dog-mediated Rabies in Ethiopia 25, 95.4% in a Five-Year Retrospective Study of Human Rabies in Addis Ababa and the Surrounding Regions 26, 5% among dog-mediated Rabies in Ethiopia (Amhara region) 25, and 14.9% in a Five-Year Retrospective Study of Human Rabies in Addis Ababa and the Surrounding Regions 26.
The prevalence of Podoconiosis in the present study was found in a single (0.1%) of the patients. The prevalence obtained in this study was much lower than the prevalence reported in various regions, including 6.2% in the Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia 27, 4.3% in Waghmra Zone, Ethiopia 28, 6.3% in Dano district, Central Ethiopia 29, 6.7% in Northern Ethiopia 30, 3.3% in Debre Elias district, Northwest Ethiopia 31, and 6.3% in Amhara region, Central Ethiopia 29.
NTD prevalence was higher in males (5.2%) than in females (3.2%). This finding is supported by research conducted at Sekela Primary School, Western Ethiopia 13, and Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia 7.
A higher infection rate was observed in those aged 18–64 (5.0%), followed by age groups < 13 (2.4%) and 13–17 years (1.5%). However, a lowest infection rate was observed in those aged ≥ 65 years (0.1%). The prevalence of NTDs in adult age groups in the present study is agreement with the Third National Neglected Tropical Diseases Strategic Plan (2021). For example, according to the 2021 national report, the estimated number of people living in Helminthiasis-endemic areas is 96.7 million, comprising 12.9 million pre-school-aged children, 27.7 million school-aged children, and 56.18 million adults. The high prevalence of NTDs in the adult population groups compared to children might be due to occupationally related exposures in this age group.
Out of the total data reviewed over the past 10 years, the distribution of NTDs was higher in rural areas (6.6%) than in urban areas (1.3%). This finding is supported by research conducted in the Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia 32, and agrees with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health report from 2021. In Ethiopia, 69% of households have access to an improved source of drinking water, comprising 87% of urban and 61% of rural households 33. Overall, only 20% of Ethiopian households (42% urban and 10% rural) use improved toilet facilities 34. More than half (56%) of rural households use unimproved toilet facilities 35. The higher prevalence of NTDs in rural areas might be attributed to poor sanitation, unimproved toilet facilities, and contaminated drinking water (due to a shortage of clean drinking water in our study area) 36.
The observed mean differences among the five Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) provide valuable insights into their relative prevalence and distribution within the studied population. Helminthiasis emerges as the most prevalent NTD, with a significantly higher mean compared to all other diseases. This finding underscores the importance of prioritizing interventions and resource allocation towards combating Helminthiasis, given its elevated burden.
Furthermore, the significant mean differences between certain NTD pairs, such as Helminthiasis and Scabies, highlight distinct variations in disease prevalence. For instance, the higher mean of Scabies compared to Eye Disease and Rabies suggests a relatively higher burden of Scabies within the population.
Interestingly, while Eye Disease has a significantly higher mean than Podoconiosis, no significant mean differences were found between Scabies and Eye Disease, Eye Disease and Rabies, and Rabies and Podoconiosis. These findings imply potential similarities in the prevalence or distribution patterns of these diseases within the studied population.
Overall, these results emphasize the importance of understanding the differential burden of NTDs to tailor interventions effectively. Targeted efforts towards diseases with higher prevalence, such as Helminthiasis, can lead to more efficient allocation of resources and improved health outcomes within the community.