de Smedt, S; Nkurikiye, J; Fonteyne, Y; Hogewoning, A; van Esbroeck, M; de Bacquer, D; Tuft, S; Gilbert, C; Delanghe, I; Kestelyn, P; (2011) Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis in School Children in Rwanda and Its Association with Socio-Economic Status: A Population-Based Survey. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 85 (4). pp. 711-717. ISSN 0002-9637 https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/19151
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Abstract
Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is an allergic eye disease and an important cause of hospital referral among children in Africa and Asia. Hospital-based studies have suggested a role for parasites in its pathogenesis. To determine the prevalence and risk factors for VKC in Central Africa, we conducted a nested population-based case control study in Rwanda, involving randomly selected primary schools from different environments (rural/urban) and climate. A prevalence of VKC of 4.0% (95% confidence interval 3.3-4.7%) was found among 3,041 children studied (participation rate 94.7%). The intestinal parasitic burden was not related to VKC. Besides hot dry climate (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, P = 0.05) and male gender (OR = 1.7, P = 0.005), multivariate analysis identified higher economic status as a risk for VKC (OR = 1.4, P = 0.005). The effect on VKC of higher economic status appears not to act through differences in parasitic intestinal load.
Item Type | Article |
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Faculty and Department | Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Clinical Research |
Research Centre | International Centre for Eye Health |
ISI | 295898900025 |
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Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0
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