Prevalence of trachoma in six districts of Kenya.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of active trachoma (TF) in children aged one to nine years and potentially blinding trachoma (TT) in adults aged 15 years and older in six known trachoma-endemic districts in Kenya.


METHODS
Community based survey.


METHODS
Six known trachoma endemic districts in Kenya (Samburu, Narok, West Pokot, Kajiado Baringo and Meru North).


METHODS
A total of 6,982 children aged one to nine years and 8,045 adults aged 15 years and older were randomly selected in a two stage random cluster sampling method: Twenty sub-locations (clusters) per district and three villages per sub-location were randomly selected. Eligible children and adults were enumerated and examined for signs of trachoma.


RESULTS
Blinding trachoma was found to be a public health problem in all the surveyed districts. Active trachoma was a district wide public health problem in four districts (Samburu, Narok, West Pokot and Kajiado) and only in some of the sub-locations of the other two (Baringo and Meru North).


CONCLUSIONS
There is need for district trachoma control programmes preferably using the WHO recommended SAFE strategy in all the surveyed districts. Extrapolation of these survey results to the entire country could not be justified. There is need to survey the remaining 12 suspected endemic districts in Kenya.
Karimurio
J
J
Department of Ophthalmology, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 19676-00202, Nairobi, Kenya.
Gichangi
M
M
Ilako
D R
DR
Adala
H S
HS
Kilima
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014141:Trachoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control