Effect of a Single Mass Antibiotic Distribution on the Prevalence of Infectious Trachoma

Abstract

Ocular chlamydial infection was not eliminated in children aged 1 to 5 years after a single mass azithromycin distribution; it slowly returned over 24 months, although not to baseline levels. Repeated treatments or other effective measures will be necessary for elimination.

Comparison of an rRNA-based and DNA-based nucleic acid amplification test for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in trachoma

“…The high prevalence of chlamydial infection observed in this study was consistent with previous studies in rural Ethiopia, [10][11][12] with infection levels peaking among children aged 3-5 years and declining thereafter.…”

The impact of a single round of community mass treatment with azithromycin on disease severity and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis load in treatment-naïve trachoma-endemic island communities in West Africa

“…These data support the previous suggestion that C. trachomatis load is important in transmission of infection and its maintenance in the population [ 18 , 21 ]. At both time points the minimum C. trachomatis load that we observed within an HH cluster was ~10,000 omcB copies/swab, supporting the hypothesis that there may be a threshold load important to sustain transmission, as suggested by Chidambaram et al [ 32 ].…”

The epidemiological dynamics of infectious trachoma may facilitate elimination

“…In contrast, if infection is reduced markedly without altering transmission, infection will take time to repopulate the community with little positive feedback initially. This is consistent with infection returning slowly, if at all, after mass treatment (Chidambaram et al, 2006; Solomon et al, 2004; West et al, 2005). …”