What is trachoma?
Trachoma is the world’s leading cause of preventable blindness of infectious origin 1. Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, trachoma is easily spread through direct personal contact, shared towels and cloths, and flies that have come in contact with the eyes or nose of an infected person.
What is trachoma Wikipedia?
Trachoma is an infectious disease caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The infection causes a roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. This roughening can lead to pain in the eyes, breakdown of the outer surface or cornea of the eyes, and eventual blindness.
What is the effect of trachoma?
Trachoma is a bacterial eye infection, which if left untreated may lead to irreversible blindness. Repeated infections over many years cause scarring on the eyelid, making the eyelashes turn inward. This causes pain and damage to the cornea at the front of the eye, which eventually leads to loss of vision.
How does trachoma cause blindness?
Trachoma is an infectious eye disease and one of the leading causes of blindness globally. If left untreated it can develop into trichiasis – a painful condition where the eyelids turn inwards and the eyelashes rub against the surface of the eye leading to irreversible blindness.
How many types of trachoma are there?
What are the five stages (types) of trachoma? The World Health Organization created a grading system to classify the five stages of blinding trachoma, based on the clinical signs that are seen as the disease progresses.
Is pink eye a trachoma?
The term conjunctivitis is applied to any form of inflammatory, change affecting the conjunctiva, while trachoma is a variety of conjunctivitis, the full name of which is conjunctivitis trachoma- tosa.
Where is trachoma found?
Trachoma is the leading preventable cause of blindness worldwide. Most trachoma cases occur in poor areas of Africa, where 85% of people with active disease reside. In areas where trachoma is prevalent, infection rates among children under 5 can be 60% or more.
Is trachoma a disease?
Key facts. Trachoma is a disease of the eye caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a public health problem in 44 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Blindness from trachoma is irreversible.
How does trachoma occur?
Trachoma is caused by certain subtypes of Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterium that can also cause the sexually transmitted infection chlamydia. Trachoma spreads through contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. Hands, clothing, towels and insects can all be routes for transmission.
How did trachoma start?
Throughout the 19th century, the spread of trachoma was often caused by soldiers travelling to fight in the war. In the 20th century, it started to spread through mass movements of a different kind: migration.