Risk factors for trachoma: 6-year follow-up of children aged 1 and 2 years.
The authors investigated the long-term stability of risk factors in predicting the presence of active trachoma and severe inflammatory trachoma in 176 children in Kongwa, Tanzania, who were aged 1 and 2 years in 1989 and were available for follow-up in 1995. Familial cattle ownership, living more than 2 hours away from a water source, and facial cleanliness at both time points were associated with the presence of active trachoma at both time points (odds ratio (OR) = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15, 5.79; OR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.23, 7.64; and OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.26, 1.03, respectively). An association of familial cattle ownership with facial cleanliness and water accessibility was observed. Having a clean face at both time points was associated with lower odds of active trachoma at both time points for children in non-cattle-herding families (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.87). Living more than 2 hours away from a water source at both time points increased the odds of active trachoma at both time points in children of cattle-herding families (OR = 8.00, 95% CI: 1.99, 32.10). Noticeably, severe inflammatory trachoma at baseline predicted mortality in children from villages in which trachoma was less common (OR = 3.75, 95% CI: 1.09, 12.98). The results suggest that risk factor reduction could diminish persistent disease.
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. yhhsieh@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu
Y H
YH
Hsieh
L D
LD
Bobo
T C
TC
Quinn
S K
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West
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014141:Trachoma / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014881:Water Supply
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013752:Tetracycline