and treatment of dermatoses in the tropics. The tropical diseases have been known
as exotic pathology, colonial medicine, or tropical public health. In some developed
countries they are called imported diseases.
European doctors, soldiers and missionaries were the first to study these diseases
in the 17th and 18th centuries. The English doctor, Patrick Manson (1844-1922),
is considered the Father of the tropical medicine. Together with Joseph Chamberlain,
Manson founded the School of Tropical Medicine in London. In 1907 the
School of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool founded Annals of Tropical Medicine
and Parasitology.
The tropics and subtropics comprise about 75% of the world population. The
tropical diseases are not merely a group of nosologic diseases indigenous to the
intertropical zone. Many are diseases of poor public health originating from poverty,
ignorance, and population upheaval. Tropical dermatoses represent a public health
problem in 127 countries with a population of 3 billion people who do not have
access to health care. In rural areas these diseases represent 30% of doctor visits.
Originally, infectious diseases predominated, but some have been eradicated by
sanitary and hygienic measures and others have decreased considerably due to
antibiotics. Now infectious and parasitic diseases along with emergent diseases such
as AIDS, or old re-emergent, drug-resistant diseases constitute the majority
of tropical dermatoses.
The basic dermatologic problems are mycosis, parasitosis, mycobacteriosis,
treponematosis and pyodermas. These differ in their clinical manifestation,
distribution, and incidence due mainly to racial and environmental factors.
Due to the social, environmental and economic impact of the tropical diseases,
multidisciplinary organizations have been created in the world to control them,
especially to the seven most important diseases: malaria, filariasis, leishmaniasis,
leprosy, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis. Most have
prominent skin manifestations.
Almost all tropical dermatoses are found in Mexico. Since some tropical diseases
are more prevalent in the rest of Latin America or in other parts of the
world, we have invited international authorities to contribute to this handbook.
Each disease is treated in accordance with concise format. We succinctly
describe the geographic distribution of the disease, the clinical and laboratory
diagnosis and treatment. This handbook is for students and physicians throughout
the world. We hope it will be a valuable resource.
Roberto Arenas, M.D.Roberto Estrada, M.D.
