{
  "abstract": "Louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF), caused by Borrelia recurrentis and transmitted by the human body louse, remains a persistent health emergency in Ethiopia, resulting in preventable mortality among young adults. Its continued endemicity reflects systemic failures and amplifies the syndromic effects of poverty, displacement and social stigma—locally termed ‘Qmalam’—which deters care-seeking. Clinical management is further complicated by the potentially fatal Jarisch–Herxheimer reaction following antibiotic treatment. Despite these severe consequences, LBRF remains off the official WHO list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), hindering the mobilisation of essential resources and political will. LBRF unequivocally meets WHO criteria for NTD designation, a critical step necessary to catalyse the research, funding and coordinated action required for its elimination. In this viewpoint, we present an integrated framework for addressing transmission, treatment and prediction and issue an urgent call for formal WHO recognition.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Balew Arega"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Amdemeskel Mersha"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Amanuel Zeleke"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Birhane Tafesse"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Yonas Melaku"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Alazar Regassa"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Internal Medicine, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Mesfin Abiyo"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of anesthesia, Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Enyew Liyew"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Missionaries of Charity, Queen of Peace Health Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Kidist Samuel"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Dilla University College of Health Sciences, Dilla, SNNPR, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Bereket Tesfaye"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Ethiopia Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia"
      ],
      "name": "Asnake Agunie"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Louse-borne relapsing fever in Ethiopia: an urgent call for WHO recognition as a neglected tropical disease",
  "uid": "cdab5423-b7bd-59de-904b-5bebbf03a813"
}