OBJECTIVE In some Pacific Island countries, such as Solomon Islands and Fiji, active trachoma is common, but ocular Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection and trachomatous trichiasis (TT) are rare. On Tarawa, the most populous Kiribati island, both the active trachoma sign "trachomatous inflammation-follicular" (TF) and TT are present at prevalences warranting intervention. We sought to estimate ...

Out of 46 patients in the Sudan who had been diagnosed clinically as having trachoma 25 strains of the trachoma agent were isolated. Bacterial contamination was easily controlled by streptomycin and vancomycin. On repeated passaging, chick embryos lost their susceptibility to the trachoma agent during the summer.

BACKGROUND Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for trachoma, the primary cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Plans to eradicate trachoma using the World Health Organization's SAFE program (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environment Improvement) have resulted in recurrence of infection and disease following cessation of treatment in many endemic countries, suggesting the nee...

BACKGROUND Elimination of blinding trachoma by 2020 can only be achieved if affected areas have effective control programs in place before the target date. Identifying risk factors for active disease that are amenable to intervention is important to successfully design such programs. Previous studies have linked sleeping by a cooking fire to trachoma in children, but not fully explored the mech...

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence of trachoma and to measure the impact of the SAFE strategy (World Health Organization GET 2020 strategy) for treating trachoma in the Gwembe District of Southern Zambia. DESIGN This is an observational study of the introduction of the SAFE strategy employing a collaborative approach and its impact on trachoma in the area. PARTICIPANTS Three thousand eight...

1. An organism was isolated and studied in pure cultures from cases of conjunctivitis accompanied by the so called trachoma body inclusions, as well as from a case of old trachoma without inclusions. 2. This organism was not found in the cultures made from other forms of conjunctivitis in which the inclusions were absent. 3. The organism presents the morphological features characteristic of so ...

BACKGROUND Trachoma is a leading cause of preventable blindness. Reports from eye surgery camps and anecdotal data indicated that blinding trachoma is a serious cause of visual impairment in Mankien payam (district) of southern Sudan. We conducted this study to estimate the prevalence of trachoma, estimate targets for interventions, and establish a baseline for monitoring and evaluation. METH...

formed the Global Alliance to Eliminate Blinding Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020), a coalition of governmental, non-governmental, research, and pharmaceutical partners. In 1998, the World Health Assembly urged member states to map blinding trachoma in endemic areas, implement the SAFE strategy (which stands for surgery for trichiasis, antibiotics, facial-cleanliness and environmental change, such as...

Worldwide, trachoma has blinded about 1.2 million people and resulted in visual impairment in a further 1 million people. It is estimated that about 230 million people live in trachoma-endemic areas.1 Trachoma elimination programmes use the SAFE strategy: Surgery to correct trichiasis, Antibiotic distribution to treat and prevent chlamydial infection, and Facial cleanliness and Environmental im...

BACKGROUND Australia is the only high-income country in which endemic trachoma persists. In response, the Australian Government has recently invested heavily towards the nationwide control of the disease. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A novel simulation model was developed to reflect the trachoma epidemic in Australian Aboriginal communities. The model, which incorporates demographic, migrat...