Prevalence of trachoma in Pernambuco State, Brazil (2014-2015)

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo Vol. 63; pp. e29 - 7
• Main Authors: Brito, Cintia Michele Gondim de, Medeiros, Zulma Maria de, Barbosa, Celivane Cavalcanti, Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos, Ferraz, Cristiano, Vieira, Marcel de Toledo, Lopes, Maria de Fátima Costa, Gouveia, Giselle Campozana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo 01.01.2021; Instituto de Medicina Tropical; Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo; Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
• Subjects: Age groups; Brazil - epidemiology; Censuses; Child; Child, Preschool; Chlamydia; Chlamydia trachomatis; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiological surveillance; Female; Follicular trachoma; Guardians; Households; Humans; Infant; Infections; Male; Original; Prevalence; Prevention and control; Public health; Risk Factors; Software; Trachoma - diagnosis; Trachoma - epidemiology; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Brazil; Epidemiological surveillance; Chlamydia trachomatis; Prevalence; Prevention and control; Follicular trachoma
• DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202163029
• ISSN: 1678-9946; 0036-4665

To estimate the prevalence of cases of trachoma in the population at social risk aged 1-9 years in Pernambuco State and its mesoregions. This was a cross-sectional study in which secondary data from the National Household Survey on Trachoma (2014-2015) were analyzed. The study covered 96 census tracts distributed across the mesoregions of Pernambuco State (Metropolitan Region of Recife, Zona da Mata, Agreste, Sertao do Sao Francisco and Sertao Pernambucano). The study included all homes with children aged 1-9 years, and all of them were examined for trachoma, using the WHO criteria. Among the total of 7,423 children aged 1-9 years who participated in this survey, 446 presented with active trachoma. Thus, the prevalence of trachoma in Pernambuco State, in children between 1-9 years old was 6.65%, and it was higher among children aged 5-9 years (7.12%) and among girls (7.23%). This result was seen in the majority of the mesoregions studied, except in the Zona da Mata and Sertao do Sao Francisco, where there were higher prevalences in the age group of 1-4 years (5.55%) and among boys (5.90%). A tendency towards a higher prevalence between 1 and 6 years of age was observed. The follicular trachoma continues to be an important public health problem in Pernambuco State. It particularly affects poor people, including those living in urban areas of the State.