Active trachoma two years after three rounds of azithromycin mass treatment in Cheha district Gurage zone, Southern Ethiopia

BMC Pediatrics

Bemnet Amare³  Abebe Bejiga¹  Samson Bayu¹  Fisseha Admassu² 

[1] Department of Ophthalmology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;Department of Ophthalmology, University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia;Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia

关键词: Ethiopia;    Azithromycin;    Mass treatment;    Active trachoma;   

Others  :  1144108
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2431-13-199

 received in 2013-03-30, accepted in 2013-11-27,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Azithromycin mass distribution was given to residents of Gurage zone Cheha district in 2004, 2005 and 2006 for three consecutive years with more than 90% coverage. The effect of treatment in the study community was not yet determined. The present study was therefore designed to assess the effect of azithromycin on the prevalence of active trachoma two years after three rounds of mass treatment of the community at Cheha district, Gurage zone.

Methods

A multistage stratified cluster random survey was employed to determine the prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1 to 9. Selected children were examined for trachoma using the simplified WHO grading system and their households were assessed for trachoma risk factors.

Results

This survey demonstrated that the prevalence of active trachoma in the study community was 22.8% (95% CI 18.24% - 27.36%) that was lower than that of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Regional prevalence (33.2%) in 2006. Only 27.6% (95% CI 25.7% - 30.1%) of the study population had a safe and clean water supply, whereas 42.7% (95% CI 39.8% - 46.2%) of the visited households had simple pit latrines.

Conclusion

This survey demonstrated that despite repeated mass oral azithromycin distributions, the prevalence of active trachoma was still high. Therefore, the other components of the SAFE strategy such as fly control program, improving the water sources, measures to improve face washing and construction of utilizable latrines that are being implemented through the health extension package have to be integrated with mass azithromycin treatment to eliminate active trachoma in the district.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Admassu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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