A large number of people living in Ayod County, Jonglei State, Southern Sudan, are suffering from severe trachoma and measures need to be taken to contain the disease, according to a recent study.
"At least one person with clinical signs of trachoma was found in nearly every household, and one in three households had a person with severe blinding trachoma," said the findings of the study, The Burden of Trachoma in Ayod County of Southern Sudan.
A total of 2,335 people from 392 households, of whom 1,107 were older than 14, were examined for trachoma by researchers from the Carter Center and the University of Cambridge.
Trachoma, an eye disease, results from infection with Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria which is spread from person-to-person, especially where there are shortages of water, numerous flies, and crowded living conditions, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
Poor hygiene practices, such as improper disposal of solid waste and inadequate face cleaning, contribute to its spread.
"The prevalence of active trachoma in children one to nine years of age reported in this survey is, to our knowledge, the highest district-wide estimate ever reported in Southern Sudan," noted the study findings published on 24 September.
"Trichiasis in children one to 14 years of age was nearly 30 times the WHO threshold for an acceptable level of TT (Trachomatous Trichiasis) cases in adults," it added. The acceptable threshold is 0.1.
Trichiasis refers to a condition whereby the eyelid turns inwards causing the eyelashes to rub on the eyeball, resulting in intense pain and scarring of the front of the eye.
According to the study, up to 1,733 children younger than 15 were in immediate need of eye-lid surgery. "Without surgery, these children are likely become a burden to their families."
Active trachoma in Ayod was among the highest reported globally. The study recommended urgent and sustained surgical intervention, the mass distribution of antibiotics, as well as the adoption of the practice of face washing and safe disposal of human waste. There was also a need for increased access to improved water sources.
Only 4.4 percent of the population in the survey area had a latrine, while
23.2 percent of individual caregivers reported never washing their children's faces.
Trachoma often begins during infancy or childhood and can become chronic and ultimately lead to irreversible blindness, typically between 30 and 40 years of age if left untreated. It is a leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide.
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