Noma Disease : Inclusion In Official List Of Neglected Tropical Diseases
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the inclusion of noma (cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis) in its official list of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
- Noma disease is a rapidly progressing severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and the face.
- The disease, also called cancrum oris or gangrenous stomatitis, is mostly found in sub-Saharan Africa.
- It mostly affects children aged 2–6 years suffering from malnutrition, affected by infectious diseases, living in extreme poverty with poor oral health or with weakened immune systems.
- It can also occur among immunocompromised adults due to HIV, leukaemia and other diseases.
- It starts as a soft tissue lesion (a sore) of the gums.
- It then develops into an acute necrotizing gingivitis that progresses rapidly, destroying the soft tissues and further progressing to involve the hard tissues and skin of the face.
- It is generally considered an opportunistic and non-contagious disease.
- Cases are seen in African countries outside this area as well as in other parts of the world, including Asia and Asia-Pacific, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe.
- Evidence indicates that the causative agents of noma are non-specific polymicrobial organisms.
- There is no documented evidence to support direct transmission from person to person.
- Early detection is essential, as therapy is most effective at the early stages of disease when it appears as aggressively swollen gums (acute necrotizing gingivitis).
