Nuclear Medicine in Tropical and Infectious Diseases

'More than half of the world's population is at risk of the tropical diseases malaria, leprosy, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, Chagas' disease, African trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis and half a billion are infected with at least one of these diseases'. J. H. F. Remme, World Health Organisation, 1993. 'If it is true that science is not limited by frontiers and all research Institutions then belong to mankind, so it is natural for each Institution to be responsible for the problems of those who live in the geographic area under its influence. There are no specific aspects concerning physical, chemical or philosophical concepts and facts, but specificity does exist concerning geology, sociology and pathology. It is the duty of each Institution to study the particular aspects concerning its geographic region, as missing links of the chain of universal knowledge may be found there.' H. L. de Oliveira, fonner Rector of the University ofSiio Paulo, 1967. 'Nuclear Medicine is cost effective, especially in the developing countries. ( ... ).