The Importance of the Open Access Movement in the Field of Parasitic Diseases

In an era when people are more interconnected than ever before and goods are widely exchanged, we must ensure that the mechanisms for accessing to the scientific knowledge stretch equally far. It is in this context, that the Open Access (OA) movement, that promotes the free access to the scientific and technologic knowledge, emerges. OA assumes a world in which research is made freely and immediately available on the Web, not only to those who can afford access. OA is an instrument used for public welfare to stimulate the growth of global science. In recent years, there has been a large increase to the OA movement through various OA publishers that has generated a lot of debate on the implementation of OA for research publication. Opinions are diverse but all of them agree on the necessity of Internet free access to the scientific information, without restrictions, for all mankind. The OMICS organization provides an OA mechanism to access several journals in various research areas for the dissemination and free availability of scientific knowledge to a large population. OMICS Publishing Group gathers articles from distinguished authors in specialized branches of modern science who present their research findings through the journals. The Group also organizes scientific conferences throughout the calendar year to bring together professionals from several areas of the world providing the opportunity for real-time interaction among them for sharing knowledge.

In today’s world, parasitic disease agents and other infectious pathogens are not restricted by geography or economy, and have become a significant global threat. The increasing globalization of the fresh produce market, greater international trade, and increase in reciprocal travel between developed and developing nations have contributed to the spread of these organisms in the industrialized world. In recent decades, parasitic protozoa have been recognized as having great potential to cause waterborne and food borne diseases. The proportion of immunocompromised people is increasing globally, making these illnesses an even greater potential issue [1,2]. The behavior of man has an important role in the epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging parasitic zoonoses. Changing demographics with the concomitant alterations of the environment, and changes in human behavior favor the emergence and spread of these zoonoses. The recent unprecedented flow of people, their animals, and parasites around the world, introduces and mixes customs, cultural, and behavior patterns. The increasing proclivity for eating undercooked or raw meat and seafood facilitates the dissemination of several protozoa, nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes [3]. Global warming has caused concern regarding the spread of infectious diseases, particularly those transmitted by arthropod vectors. Climate change is predicted to alter the physical environment with effects on global increase in soil-transmitted helminthiasis [4], which remain a substantial and persistent burden on human health [5-7].

For the preceding reasons, the world’s health needs a better vision today. A global consensus certainly is emerging and the health of the developing world is in the field of interest of the developed nations that will accelerate the process of transference of wealth and technology to the former area. Epidemiologists and other professionals involved in International health have been at the forefront in the effort to combat infectious diseases and neglected illnesses of the world’s poorest regions. There is the need to find a way to pull together the global efforts to prevent disease, promote health, and strengthen partnerships and to bring them into a coherent whole. In this context, the OA for research publications offers several benefits on the field of parasitic and other infectious diseases as well as on global health: 1. Contributes to the rapid access, dissemination, and translation of findings into new or improved preventive, diagnostic, and treatment products and processes. 2. Strengthens peer-to-peer technical, public health, and scientific relationship to improve global health practices, programs, and practices that would enhance the likelihood of success of control of these diseases. 3. Brings the rapid identification of top priorities and synchronization of the roles of researchers with the role of health organizations in a cohesive strategy for developing programs that will have real impact. 4. Helps to share best practices worldwide. 5. Facilitates global action to address the major emerging parasites that contribute to global disease and mortality. 5. Helps to achieve assistance in laboratory capacity to support diagnosis for illness surveillance.

Promotion of OA is very crucial to encourage the flow of knowledge, innovation, and socio-economic development around the world. Interaction between different disciplines such as parasitology, epidemiology, molecular biology, and public health is imperative to reduce infectious diseases. Integrated multidisciplinary approaches to research these illnesses will lead to the development of targeted control programs. Maximizing the synergy among scientists who study different aspects of parasitic diseases and other infectious illnesses would enhance the progress of science and quality of life of a large segment of the world population. OA journals and scientific conferences, that allow interaction among academicians for sharing knowledge, will undoubtedly play a role to achieve these aims.