BACKGROUND There remains a lack of epidemiological data on the geographical distribution of trachoma to support global mapping and scale up of interventions for the elimination of trachoma. The Global Atlas of Trachoma (GAT) was launched in 2011 to address these needs and provide standardised, updated and accessible maps. This paper uses data included in the GAT to describe the geographical dis...

BACKGROUND Trachoma is chronic kerato conjunctivitis, which is caused by repeated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium. It is hyper endemic in many rural areas of Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions on active trachoma in selected woredas of North and South Wollo zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. METHODOLOGY A...

BACKGROUND Globally, trachoma is the leading cause of infectious blindness and Australia is the only developed country with endemic trachoma. It is found in remote Indigenous communities burdened with poverty, overcrowding and poor hygiene. Lack of culturally appropriate health promotion, a small trachoma workforce and lack of awareness and support for trachoma elimination in general, were earl...

Australia remains the only developed country to have endemic levels of trachoma (a prevalence of 5% or greater among children) in some regions. Endemic trachoma in Australia is found predominantly in remote and very remote Aboriginal communities. The Australian Government funds a National Trachoma Surveillance and Reporting Unit to collate, analyse and report trachoma prevalence data and docume...

BACKGROUND Trachoma has been endemic in The Gambia for decades. National trachoma control activities have been in place since the mid-1980's, but with no mass antibiotic treatment campaign. We aimed to assess the prevalence of active trachoma and of actual ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection as measured by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the two Gambian regions that had had the highest pr...

Trachoma is disappearing in many parts of the world, even in the absence of specific control programs. Following mass antimicrobial drug treatments for trachoma in western Nepal, the prevalence of trachoma declined far more rapidly than could be attributed to the control program alone. Pharmacy surveys in the same region found that children received more antichlamydial drugs from sources outsid...

PURPOSE To review the background, epidemiology and current management of trachoma in endemic areas and worldwide. METHODS Review of literature. RESULTS Trachoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in developing countries. It was reported as one of the seven most neglected tropical diseases that can be prevented via drug administration. Its infliction is primarily aimed at ...

Trachoma is chronic conjunctivitis caused by chlamydial trachomatis serovar A, B, Ba or C. Transmission occurs primarily through close personal contact, particularly among young children in rural communities with limited water supplies [1]. Trachoma remains major public health problem in 42 countries and responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. It causes a...

BACKGROUND The World Health Organization recommends mass treatment as part of a trachoma control strategy. However, scant empirical data from hyperendemic communities exist on the number of rounds of treatment needed to reach a goal of <5% prevalence in children. We determined the prevalence of trachoma and infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in communities after 3-7 years of annual mass treat...

PURPOSE A survey was carried out with schoolchildren in Bauru, São Paulo State. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of trachoma. METHODS One thousand, seven hundred and forty-nine children from 6 to 14 years old were examined during the year of 2005. The schools were randomly chosen, according to the number of schoolchildren and the school region according to the local o...