IIDDO is currently scoping several new poverty-related infectious disease themes. As part of this process, IDDO conducts a scoping and feasibility assessment to gain an understanding of the clinical data landscape for that disease and whether a data platform would be of value to help advance research and answer critical questions.
Melioidosis
Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria growth on a petri dish. CDC, Courtesy of Larry Stauffer, Oregon State Public Health Laboratory

Melioidosis is a potentially fatal infectious disease caused by the environmental bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis is endemic in many tropical countries. The disease has very few specific clinical manifestations, and B. pseudomallei is intrinsically resistant to many commonly used antimicrobials. The mortality of patients treated inappropriately could be up to 90%.
Trachoma
School children walking in Guinea

Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis that can cause irreversible blindness. It remains endemic in many tropical countries and there are currently around 1.9 million people worldwide who have been blinded or visually impaired by the disease. Progress has been made towards elimination in recent years, but questions remain concerning particular contexts for mass drug administration (MDA), hygiene and environmental factors.
Lymphatic filariasis
Group of young boys, India

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is the single largest cause of chronic permanent disability globally. It is caused by thread-like worms and is spread to humans through infective mosquito bites. Approximately 863 million people in 47 countries are at risk of acquiring LF. It causes genital disease in more than 25 million men and limb lymphoedema in more than 15 million people.