Trachoma decline and widespread use of antimicrobial drugs.

Chidambaram, Jaya D; Bird, Mariko; Schiedler, Vivian; Fry, Alicia M; Porco, Travis; Bhatta, Ramesh C; Jha, Hem; Chaudary, JSP; Gaynor, Bruce; Yi, Elizabeth; +3 more... Whitcher, John P; Osaki-Holm, Susie; Lietman, Thomas M; (2004) Trachoma decline and widespread use of antimicrobial drugs. Emerging infectious diseases, 10 (11). pp. 1895-1899. ISSN 1080-6040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1011.040476

Abstract

Trachoma is disappearing in many parts of the world, even in the absence of specific control programs. Following mass antimicrobial drug treatments for trachoma in western Nepal, the prevalence of trachoma declined far more rapidly than could be attributed to the control program alone. Pharmacy surveys in the same region found that children received more antichlamydial drugs from sources outside the trachoma program than they did from the program itself. We demonstrate that high background antimicrobial drug use may be responsible for much of the observed decline in trachoma and discuss its potential role in eliminating this infectious disease.

Additional Information

Item Type	Article
Faculty and Department	Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Clinical Research
Research Centre	Antimicrobial Resistance Centre (AMR)
PubMed ID	15550197
ISI	224997700001
Related URLs	OA Location