PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Title	PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Discipline	Infectious diseases, Tropical medicine
Abbreviation	PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis.
Publisher	Public Library of Science
Country	United States
Frequency	Monthly
History	2007–present
License	Creative Commons

Contents

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases is an open‑access, peer‑reviewed scientific journal established to advance research on diseases that disproportionately affect populations in low‑income regions. It publishes original research, reviews, policy analyses and commentaries linking biomedical science to global health practice, engaging stakeholders from institutions such as World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Médecins Sans Frontières.

History

The journal was launched in 2007 following initiatives by figures associated with James M. McGaugh, Peter Hotez, Jeffrey Sachs, Gordon Brown and organizations including Public Library of Science, Rockefeller Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Royal Society. Early editorial leadership drew on networks spanning Harvard University, Oxford University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and University of Pennsylvania, linking contributors who had worked on programs in Brazil, India, Nigeria, Kenya and Bangladesh. Its inception coincided with global efforts like the Millennium Development Goals and complemented campaigns such as the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis Control Programme and initiatives from Roll Back Malaria. Over time the journal reflected shifts influenced by events including the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, the Zika virus epidemic, and policy debates at World Health Assembly gatherings.

The journal's remit covers parasitology, vector biology, clinical trials, epidemiology and implementation science tied to pathogens and conditions addressed by agencies such as Pan American Health Organization, African Union, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and USAID. Editorial policy emphasizes methodological rigor consistent with standards from CONSORT, PRISMA and expectations aligned with funders like Wellcome Trust and National Science Foundation. Ethical frameworks reference guidance from bodies including Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences, Declaration of Helsinki discussions at World Medical Association meetings, and compliance with policies promoted by Committee on Publication Ethics. The journal solicits manuscripts addressing neglected bacterial, protozoan, helminthic and viral threats relevant to regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Pacific Islands.

Operating under the umbrella of Public Library of Science, the journal uses an open‑access model supported by article processing charges, institutional memberships, and funder agreements with organizations like European Research Council, Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Content is distributed under Creative Commons licenses similar to those endorsed by Directory of Open Access Journals policies and interoperable with repositories such as PubMed Central and archives maintained by National Library of Medicine. Publication frequency, production workflows and metadata standards align with practices from CrossRef, ORCID adoption promoted by OpenAIRE, and indexing in databases including Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE.

The editorial structure comprises an Editor‑in‑Chief, Deputy Editors and Associate Editors drawn from institutions like Johns Hopkins University, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Institut Pasteur, University of São Paulo and University of Cape Town. The board includes experts who have collaborated with programs such as Integrated Community Case Management, Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programmes and vaccine trials coordinated by Gates Vaccine Initiative. Peer review follows single‑ or double‑blind processes and integrates statistical and methodological review from specialists associated with groups like Cochrane Collaboration and guideline authors linked to International Committee of Medical Journal Editors recommendations. Policies on conflicts of interest, data sharing and preprint posting align with statements from Committee on Publication Ethics and repositories such as bioRxiv.

The journal has influenced policy dialogues at fora including the World Health Assembly, United Nations General Assembly side events, and technical meetings of WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Department. Its impact metrics have been tracked by services such as Journal Citation Reports, Google Scholar metrics and citation aggregators used by Clarivate Analytics. Reviews and commentary in outlets like The Lancet, Nature, Science and coverage by media organizations including BBC News, The New York Times and The Guardian have highlighted its role in elevating research on conditions affecting marginalized populations. Debates over article processing charges and equitable access have engaged stakeholders including Wellcome Trust, Coalition S and representatives from African Academy of Sciences.

The journal has published influential articles on topics tied to outbreaks such as Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, Zika virus epidemic, and control strategies for schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, leishmaniasis and chagas disease. Special collections have addressed themes coordinated with partners like WHO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, TDR (Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases), Stop TB Partnership and Medicine Sans Frontières initiatives. Landmark papers have informed programs implemented in countries such as Brazil and India and contributed to vaccine, diagnostic and vector control research cited by panels including Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

Category:Open access journals Category:Infectious disease journals Category:Publications established in 2007