Pharmacogenomics for infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa : successes and opportunities

Open Access

Abstract

The rate of mortality in developing countries due to communicable disease remains alarmingly high. The leading contributors to disease burden in these regions are the so-called "big three", namely HIV/ AIDS, TB, and malaria. The global prevalence of these diseases is over 250 million, and it should be noted that 71%, 28% and 88% of these cases, respectively, occur in sub-Saharan Africa alone (World Health Organization). African countries are continuously struggling to contain infectious diseases, and there is a need for governments to commit resources not only for treatment, but also towards research and development aimed at innovative approaches. ; The Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and a Vice-Chancellor's post-doctoral bursary from the University of Pretoria. ; http://www.elsevier.com/locate/atg ; am2017 ; Immunology