02584nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001653002200042653001300064653001700077653001300094653001500107653000900122653002000131653001100151653001100162653001100173653002100184653002100205653001700226653002800243653002600271653002100297653001700318653002600335100001100361700001200372700001400384700001300398700001300411245013200424856007200556300001100628490000800639520152500647022001402172       2011                            d10aTreatment Outcome10aTrachoma10aTime Factors10aTanzania10aPrevalence10aMale10aInfant, Newborn10aInfant10aHumans10aFemale10aEndemic Diseases10aDrug Utilization10aDrug Therapy10aCross-Sectional Studies10aChlamydia trachomatis10aChild, Preschool10aAzithromycin10aAnti-Bacterial Agents1 aWest S1 aMunoz B1 aMkocha HA1 aGaydos C1 aQuinn TC00aNumber of years of annual mass treatment with azithromycin needed to control trachoma in hyper-endemic communities in Tanzania.  uhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114471/pdf/jir257.pdf  a268-730 v2043 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>The World Health Organization recommends mass treatment as part of a trachoma control strategy. However, scant empirical data from hyperendemic communities exist on the number of rounds of treatment needed to reach a goal of &lt;5% prevalence in children. We determined the prevalence of trachoma and infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in communities after 3-7 years of annual mass treatment in Tanzania.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Seventy-one communities with trachoma and annual azithromycin coverage data were enrolled. A cross-sectional survey of ≥100 randomly selected children aged &lt;5 years in each community was performed. Children were examined for clinical trachoma, and swab samples were taken for determination of ocular C. trachomatis infection.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>After 3 years of mass treatment, the prevalence of trachoma decreased in a linear fashion with number of years of mass treatment, whereas decreased prevalences of C. trachomatis infection were related to the extent of the previous year's azithromycin coverage. Our model suggests that, for communities with baseline trachoma prevalence of 50% and annual treatment coverage of 75%, &gt;7 years of annual mass treatment will be needed to reach a prevalence of trachoma of &lt;5%.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Country programs in trachoma-endemic regions must realistically expect that several years of annual mass treatment may be necessary to eliminate trachoma.</p>
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