title: Serological Measures of Trachoma Transmission Intensity.
abstract: Ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can lead to trachoma, a leading infectious cause of blindness. Trachoma is targeted for elimination by 2020. Clinical grading for ocular disease is currently used for evaluating trachoma elimination programs, but serological surveillance can be a sensitive measure of disease transmission and provide a more objective testing strategy than clinical grading. We calculated the basic reproduction number from serological data in settings with high, medium, and low disease transmission based on clinical disease. The data showed a striking relationship between age seroprevalence and clinical data, demonstrating the proof-of-principle that age seroprevalence predicts transmission rates and therefore could be used as an indicator of decreased transmission of ocular trachoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30329 USA.
authors.forename: Diana L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30329 USA.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30329 USA.
authors.forename: Brook
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goodhew
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30329 USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lammie
authors.affiliation: National Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta GA 30329 USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21055 USA.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: Charlotte A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gaydos
authors.affiliation: Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dize
authors.affiliation: Kongwa Trachoma Project, Kongwa, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Harran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mkocha
authors.affiliation: Muhimbili University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Mabula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasubi
authors.affiliation: Epidemiological Modelling Unit, Monash University, Melbourne Australia.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambhir
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001766:Blindness / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005123:Eye / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014141:Trachoma / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C082169:pgp3 protein, Chlamydia