The role of immunity in blinding trachoma is unclear. Conjunctival gene expression was measured in a population where trachoma is endemic. Proinflammatory (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta]), anti-inflammatory (IL-10), and fibrogenic (matrix metalloprotease 9) gene expression was increased in active trachoma. Markers indicative of T-cell response (gamma interferon, IL...

Schirmer I and tear film break up time (BUT) test were used to determine cytological changes and conjunctival surface epithelial morphology was investigated using impression cytology in patients with inactive trachoma; patients with mild and severe scarring, and control subjects, were compared. Schirmer I, BUT, and goblet cell populations were significantly lower whereas the grade of squamous m...

Progress towards elimination of blinding trachoma Ten years after the Community Eye Health Journal first devoted an entire issue to trachoma (Vol. 7, Issue 14), and five years since its last trachoma-focused edition (Vol. 12, Issue 32), this debilitating disease continues to remain the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness. The good news is that its elimination is now closer in sight du...

1 Thylefors B, Negrel AD, Pararajasegaram R La surveillance epidemiologique du trachome: bilan et perspective. Rev Int Trachome 1992;69:107-14. 2 Thylefors B, Negrel AD, Pararajasegaram R, Dadzie KY. Global data on blindness. Bull World Health Organ 1995;73:115-21. 3 World Health Organisation. World distribution and prevalence of trachoma in recent years. Epidemiological and vital statistics re...

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to analyze the spatial behavior of the occurrence of trachoma cases detected in the City of Bauru, State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2006 in order to use the information collected to set priority areas for optimization of health resources. METHODS the trachoma cases identified in 2006 were georeferenced. The data evaluated were: schools where the trac...

Trachoma is a conjunctiva scarring disease, which is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Yet, the molecular mechanisms underlying progressive fibrosis in trachoma are unknown. To investigate the contribution of local resident fibroblasts to disease progression, we isolated conjunctival fibroblasts from patients with scarring trachoma and matching control individuals, and compar...

All readers of the Community Eye Health Journal who are responsible for managing trachoma programmes at national, regional, or district level need to be familiar with the requirements for Zithromax® donation. The generous global donation of the antibiotic Zithromax® by Pfi zer Inc. through the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) can play an important role in the successful elimination of bl...