02903nas a2200361   4500000000100000008004100001653003900042653001300081653001000094100001100104700001600115700001600131700001100147700000900158700000900167700001000176700001000186700001200196700001000208700001100218700001100229700000900240700001100249700000900260700000900269700001100278245009300289856009900382300001300481490000700494520202600501022001402527       2019                            d10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aTrachoma10aChina1 aZhao J1 aMariotti SP1 aResnikoff S1 aWang Y1 aYu S1 aHe M1 aFan Y1 aZou H1 aZhang W1 aJia Y1 aWang L1 aGuan H1 aXu X1 aZhan L1 aAn L1 aYe Q1 aWang N00aAssessment of trachoma in suspected endemic areas within 16 provinces in mainland China.  uhttps://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0007130&type=printable  ae00071300 v133 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>China used to be among the countries with a high prevalence of trachoma. At the launch of The Global Elimination of Trachoma (GET) 2020 campaign by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1996, China was placed on the list of countries endemic for trachoma based on historical data. However, empirical observation and routinely collected eye care data were suggesting that trachoma was no longer a public health problem. To determine whether the GET 2020 goals had been met in P. R. China, we conducted a targeted assessment with national scope.</p>

<p><strong>METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: </strong>Province assessment teams, trained in WHO Trachoma Rapid Assessment (TRA) methodology and in WHO simplified trachoma grading system, carried out assessments in 16 provinces (among them, 2 provinces conducted pilot assessment). Based on the published literature, including national and international reports, suspected trachoma-endemic areas within each province were identified. Within these areas, trachomatous inflammation- follicular (TF) assessments were carried out in at least 50 grade-one children in primary schools serving villages with the lowest socio-economic development. Trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and corneal opacity (CO) assessments were conducted among persons aged 15 and over in villages within the catchment area of the selected schools. Of 8,259 children examined in 128 primary schools in 97 suspected trachoma endemic areas, only 16 cases of conjunctivitis were graded as TF. 38 cases with TT were found among the 339,013 examined residents in villages surrounding the schools. Among these 97 suspected trachoma endemic areas in only three was the prevalence of TT more than 0.2%.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: </strong>This large study suggested that trachoma was not a public health problem in 16 provinces that had been previously suspected to be endemic. These findings will facilitate planning for elimination of trachoma from PR China.</p>
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