02042nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260005400042653001700096653002300113100001800136700001500154700001200169700001400181700001000195700001200205700001400217700001200231700001300243700001400256700001300270700001400283700001200297700001700309700001400326700001600340245009100356856016200447520108200609022002501691       2020                            d  bAmerican Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene10aFace-washing10aFacial cleanliness1 aCzerniewska A1 aVersteeg A1 aShafi O1 aDumessa G1 aAga M1 aLast AR1 aMacleod D1 aSarah V1 aDodson S1 aNegussu N1 aKenate B1 aKirumba M1 aBiran A1 aCairncross S1 aBurton MJ1 aGreenland K00aComparison of Face Washing and Face Wiping Methods for Trachoma Control: A Pilot Study  uhttp://www.ajtmh.org/docserver/fulltext/10.4269/ajtmh.19-0726/tpmd190726.pdf?expires=1581943549&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=70F82182C66B49C01536C7F85C781C8E3 aEye-to-eye transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis, the causative agent of trachoma, may be plausibly interrupted if faces are kept free of ocular and nasal discharge. Between April and June 2018, 83 children aged 1–9 years with active trachoma were recruited from 62 households and allocated to a face cleaning protocol: face washing with water, face washing with water and soap, or face wiping. Faces were examined for the presence of ocular and nasal discharge, and swabs were taken from faces and hands to test for C. trachomatis at baseline, immediately post protocol, and after 1, 2, and 4 hours (washing protocols). Washing with soap was more effective at removing ocular discharge than either washing with water (89% and 27% of discharge removed, respectively, P = 0.003) or wiping with a hand (42%,
P = 0.013). The reduction in prevalence of ocular discharge was sustained for at least four hours. The prevalence of C. trachomatis on face swabs was reduced by all washing protocols. The importance of soap should not be overlooked during facial cleanliness promotion.  a0002-9637, 1476-1645