Assessment of Trachoma Among Children and Females Living in Rural Northern India Using Rapid Assessment Technique

Abstract

Purpose: : To assess the burden of active trachoma in children aged 1- 9 years and cicatricial trachoma in females above age of 15 years in a previous hyperendemic rural area in Haryana, India.

Methods: : Eligible subjects were examined for signs of trachoma with the aid of a binocular loupe(magnification 2.5 x) in ambient daylight conditions by everted upper eyelid examination and were graded according to the WHO simplified classification. A note of unclean face and poor ocular hygiene was also made.

Results: : Clinically, active trachoma was observed in 4.0 % of children. Children with unclean faces had a 2.7 times higher risk for trachoma in comparison to children with clean face. Similarly, children with poor ocular hygiene had a 2 times higher risk for trachoma infection. Magnitude of cicatricial trachoma in females aged 15 years and above of stage TS (Trachomatous Scarring), TT (Trachomatous Trichiasis) and CO (Corneal Opacity) was found to be 26.4%, 5.4% and 3.2 % among females respectively. The proportion of females in each age group exhibiting evidence of cicatrisation increased with age. Among the patients with advanced cicatricial trachoma (TT, CO) 59.3% (51) took no treatment; whereas 30.23% (26) had epilation and 10.4% (9) had undergone entropion surgery.

Conclusions: : Although the burden of trachoma has decreased in India data from previously hyper endemic areas will help in deciding future strategies. Surgical services for lid surgery need to be strengthed in order to limit ocular morbidity due to cicatricial trachoma.

Keywords: trachoma • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques