Back to Search
Start Over
Can We Use Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis as a Surveillance Tool for National Trachoma Control Programs? Results from a District Survey.
- Source :
-
PLoS neglected tropical diseases [PLoS Negl Trop Dis] 2016 Jan 15; Vol. 10 (1), pp. e0004352. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Jan 15 (Print Publication: 2016). - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Background: Trachoma is targeted for elimination by 2020. World Health Organization advises districts to undertake surveillance when follicular trachoma (TF) <5% in children 1-9 years and mass antibiotic administration has ceased. There is a question if other tools could be used for surveillance as well. We report data from a test for antibodies to C. trachomatis antigen pgp3 as a possible tool.<br />Methodology: We randomly sampled 30 hamlets in Kilosa district, Tanzania, and randomly selected 50 children ages 1-9 per hamlet. The tarsal conjunctivae were graded for trachoma (TF), tested for C. trachomatis infection (Aptima Combo2 assay: Hologic, San Diego, CA), and a dried blood spot processed for antibodies to C. trachomatis pgp3 using a multiplex bead assay on a Luminex 100 platform.<br />Principal Findings: The prevalence of trachoma (TF) was 0.4%, well below the <5% indicator for re-starting a program. Infection was also low, 1.1%. Of the 30 hamlets, 22 had neither infection nor TF. Antibody positivity overall was low, 7.5% and increased with age from 5.2% in 1-3 year olds, to 9.3% in 7-9 year olds (p = 0.015). In 16 of the 30 hamlets, no children ages 1-3 years had antibodies to pgp3.<br />Conclusions: The antibody status of the 1-3 year olds indicates low cumulative exposure to infection during the surveillance period. Four years post MDA, there is no evidence for re-emergence of follicular trachoma.
- Subjects :
- Child
Child, Preschool
Chlamydia trachomatis immunology
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Prevalence
Rural Health
Tanzania epidemiology
Trachoma diagnosis
Trachoma microbiology
Antibodies, Bacterial blood
Chlamydia trachomatis isolation & purification
Sentinel Surveillance
Trachoma blood
Trachoma epidemiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1935-2735
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PLoS neglected tropical diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26771906
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004352