Trachoma

Background

• Neonatal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis leading to blindness
  • Caused by serotypes A, B, Ba, and C
• Most common infectious cause of blindness worldwide

Clinica Manifestations

• Starts with conjunctivitis, but eyelids turn inwards (entropion), and the inward-turned eyelashes (trichiasis) cause ulceration and scarring of the cornea, leading to blindness

Management

• SAFE (per WHO)
  • Surgery to trichiasis
  • Antibiotics for active infection
  • Facial cleanliness
  • Environmental improvement
• Antibiotics
  • Oral erythromycin or tetracycline for 3 to 4 weeks, followed by topical treatment for 6 months

Prevention

• Depends on local prevalence
• Can do mass treatment with azithromycin annually for three years if the prevalence is greater than 10% in children under 10