Prevalence of cicatricial trachoma in an indigenous population of Central Australia: the Central Australian Trachomatous Trichiasis Study (CATTS).
BACKGROUND
Trachoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, resulting from conjunctival scarring, upper lid entropion and trichiasis, leading to corneal scarring and opacification. This study was designed to investigate the current prevalence of cicatricial trachoma in an indigenous population within Central Australia and help determine whether trachoma remains a public health issue.


METHODS
Participants aged 40 and over were recruited from patients attending one of 16 remote ophthalmology clinics held at indigenous communities in Central Australia within the Northern Territory. Once informed consent had been obtained, each patient underwent examination for evidence of trachomatous scarring, trachomatous trichiasis and corneal opacities. Results were collated and compared with previous prevalence surveys.


RESULTS
Among the sample (n = 181), there were 97 patients (54%; 95% CI 46.7-61.3) with trachomatous scarring, 15 patients (8%; 95% CI 2.8-13.2) with trichiasis and 5 patients (3%; 95% CI 0.5-5.5) with corneal opacities.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that, although the prevalence of the cicatricial and blinding consequences of trachoma may be decreasing in patients aged 40 years or greater, when compared with the current prevalence in other areas of Australia, trachoma still remains a public health issue in Central Australia.
Landers
John
J
Department of Ophthalmology, Alice Springs Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.
Kleinschmidt
Andrew
A
Wu
Johnny
J
Burt
Benjamin
B
Ewald
Dan
D
Henderson
Tim
T
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005140:Eyelashes; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014141:Trachoma / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*