Introduction

The geographical focus of this book pertains to Europe and Central Asia, while thematically, the seven chapters concentrate on a group of diseases, collec tively termed neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Geographically, Europe and Central Asia are a contiguous area. Yet, this vast territory is characterized by considerable heterogeneity and enormous cultural, ecological, economic, political, and social diversity, which, in turn, govern people's health and well-being. For the purpose of this book, Europe and Central Asia are defined as the continent of Europe plus the Asian part of the former Soviet Union, namely Siberia, the Caucasus region, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Essentially, this overlaps with the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region (EURO). The bio-eco-geographical diversity of this region is reflected in widely varying biomes, including arctic tundra, extensive forests, steppes, deserts, mountains, and Mediterranean areas. Of note, this region does not include tropical areas in a strict geographical or climatological sense.