title: Prevalence and Risk Factors for Trachoma in Rural Areas of Sistan-va-Baluchestan Province, Iran: A Population-Based Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of trachoma and risk factors associated with the disease in rural areas of the Sistan-va-Baluchestan province in Iran from 2012-2013. Population-based prevalence data for trachoma is lacking in this region.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this population-based cross-sectional study, 80 clusters were selected using a systematic and probability proportional to size method. All participants underwent clinical eye examinations according to the World Health Organization simplified trachoma grading system. The prevalence of follicular trachoma (TF) in children aged 1-9 years and the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) in women aged over 15 years were the most important clinical indicators of trachoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study surveyed 8187 individuals and analyzed 7912 participants (96.6%) including 3737 children aged 1-9 years and 4175 females >15 years. The prevalence of TF and TT in the relevant indicator groups were 0.59% (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.36-0.89%) and 0.02% (95% CI 0.00-0.13%), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Previously, trachoma prevalence data for this region were lacking. This study confirms that the Sistan-va-Baluchestan region is not endemic for trachoma. This has important implications for national trachoma elimination activities.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Epidemiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran .
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katibeh
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaseri
authors.forename: Mohammad Naiem
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Aminifar
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahdavi
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jafarinasab
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Javadi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014141:Trachoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D058457:Trichiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiology; Iran; prevalence; risk factors; trachoma