Current Course Topic:
Trachoma is a communicable disease that may lead to considerable visual disability, infecting 150 million people and blinding 6 million in developing countries. It is caused by the parasitic bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which grows only within the cells of the eyelid. Over a period of years, the scars may eventually cause eyelashes to point inwards, scratching the cornea of the eye and in many cases causing blindness.
A few months ago, Annie’s family was on a trip to her home country, India. Her 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter were so excited and thrilled to be in a new environment with a lot of kin and kith. Every evening, Annie’s children had fun playing in the backyard with them.
One evening, she was watching them playing hide and seek (peek-a-boo). Every child had a turn to tie a handkerchief around the eyes and try to catch the rest of the children without sight. This is how the game was played. This was a childproof environment, so no worries. It was her neighbor Asha’s turn to find the rest. She was a smart 8 year old kid, but she refused to tie the handkerchief. Everybody was bullying her, thinking that she was fussy. Annie watched all this from her patio and called her. She said her eyes were tearing most of the time and they felt painful. Annie spoke to Asha’s parents and scheduled an appointment with an ophthalmologist. The next day, Annie accompanied Asha and her parents to the physician. The health care center did a complete history and physical exam, followed by an eye examination. A small spatula is used to collect the material from the conjunctiva. When this was tested, the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis was found, and the diagnosis was confirmed.
For Asha, her trachoma was fortunately found at an early stage. She was treated with antibiotics for 3 to 5 weeks. The Doctor warned to monitor her carefully because trachoma can recur and may require additional treatment.
On further follow-up, Annie was curious to know more about the disease and the cause. The Doctor explained to her the possible cause and how this could be detected.
Lack of hygiene is one of the major causes of Trachoma, which commonly infects children and adults. The disease spreads by direct contact with the eye, nose and throat secretions from affected individuals or by contact with objects that may have been in contact with these secretions.
Tearing, pain, swollen eyelid, and corneal inflammation are some of the first symptoms. As the disease progresses, it leads to scratching of the eyelids. Eventually, scars develop over a period of time, leading to blindness. Prevention is much better than cure.
Trachoma inside of upper eyelid.
Could this be prevented?
| What Causes Trachoma? | How To Prevent Trachoma: Hand Washing |
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