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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Reduction and return of infectious trachoma in severely affected communities in Ethiopia
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Volume 3, No. 2, Article e376, Year 2009
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Description
Background: Antibiotics are a major tool in the WHO's trachoma control program. Even a single mass distribution reduces the prevalence of the ocular chlamydia that causes trachoma. Unfortunately, infection returns after a single treatment, at least in severely affected areas. Here, we test whether additional scheduled treatments further reduce infection, and whether infection returns after distributions are discontinued. Methods: Sixteen communities in Ethiopia were randomly selected. Ocular chlamydial infection in 1- to 5-year-old children was monitored over four biannual azithromycin distributions and for 24 months after the last treatment. Findings: The average prevalence of infection in 1- to 5-year-old children was reduced from 63.5% pre-treatment to 11.5% six months after the first distribution (P<0.0001). It further decreased to 2.6% six months after the fourth and final treatment (P = 0.0004). In the next 18 months, infection returned to 25.2%, a significant increase from six months after the last treatment (P = 0.008), but still far lower than baseline (P<0.0001). Although the prevalence of infection in any particular village fluctuated, the mean prevalence of the 16 villages steadily decreased with each treatment and steadily returned after treatments were discontinued. Conclusion: In some of the most severely affected communities ever studied, we demonstrate that repeated mass oral azithromycin distributions progressively reduce ocular chlamydial infection in a community, as long as these distributions are given frequently enough and at a high enough coverage. However, infection returns into the communities after the last treatment. Sustainable changes or complete local elimination of infection will be necessary. © 2009 Lakew et al.
Available Materials
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC2632737/bin/pntd.0000376.s001.doc
Authors & Co-Authors
Lakew, Takele
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
Orbis International, Addis Ababa
House, Jenafir I.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Hong, Kevin Cyrus
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Yi, Elizabeth H.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Alemayehu, Wondu
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
Orbis International, Addis Ababa
Melese, Muluken
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa
Orbis International, Addis Ababa
Zhou, Zhaoxia
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Ray, Kathryn J.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Chin, Stephanie A.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Romero, Emmanuel
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Keenan, Jeremy David
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Whitcher, John P.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Gaynor, Bruce D.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Lietman, Thomas M.
United States, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
Statistics
Citations: 85
Authors: 14
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pntd.0000376
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Ethiopia