Active clinical trials for "Trachoma"

After single, yearly, mass treatment of communities with azithromycin for active trachoma, what is the added effectiveness for reduction of trachoma and ocular C. trachomatis infection at one, two, and three years, relative to the added costs, of community-based surveillance and treatment of cases of severe trachoma (TI) semi-annually or every 4 months?

Trachoma, an ocular infection caused by C. trachomatis, is the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Years of repeated infection with C. trachomatis cause the eyelid to scar and contract and ultimately to rotate inward such that the eyelashes rub against the eyeball and abrade the cornea (trichiasis). The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed a multi-faceted strategy to combat trachoma, which includes the use of antibiotic treatment to reduce the community pool of infection with C. trachomatis. The objective of this study is to conduct a randomized, community-based trial in three countries (Niger, Tanzania and The Gambia), representing different baseline endemicities, of alternative coverages and frequencies of administration of mass antibiotic treatment as well as to determine the cost-effectiveness of these different strategies from a program perspective.

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the major causes of sexually transmitted disease and also the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world.Treatment of C. trachomatis eye infection has involved for a long time. The efficacy of single dose azithromycin has already been demonstrated as effective in the treatment of both trachoma and adult inclusion conjunctivitis.However, in our clinical experience, some patients of chlamydial conjunctivitis may require augmented single dose azithromycin treatments before C. trachomatis is eradicated. In this way, we would like to known the efficacy of single dose and augmented single dose azithromycin in the treatment of chlamydial conjunctivitis.

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Recurrent infection by Chlamydia trachomatis causes in-turning of the eyelids / lashes (trichiasis), leading to corneal damage and blindness. The WHO recommends corrective eyelid surgery for trichiasis. Unfortunately, trichiasis frequently returns following surgery. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of surgery (at one and two years) for trichiasis using two currently used alternative suture types: non-absorbable (silk) and absorbable (vicryl). We, the researchers, hypothesise that the supportive presence of the absorbable suture for a longer period produces more stable wound healing, leading to a better outcome.

The WHO has initiated a program to eliminate trachoma, blinding eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, in large part by mass distributions of oral azithromycin. The proposed study will determine the frequency and treatment target of community-wide mass antibiotic treatment. We will also study the impact of mass antibiotic distribution on antibiotic-resistance in pneumococcus.

Infection with C. Trachomatis has decreased substantially in trachoma endemic areas following repeated annual mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin, although not as rapidly as anticipated. The investigators propose to conduct a clinical trial in 52 communities in Kongwa, Tanzania that on average have trachoma infection at 3.5%. The investigators plan that all communities would have annual rounds of MDA if infection is greater than 1% or follicular trachoma (TF) is 5% or more, but half would be randomized to a surveillance and treatment program to identify and treat new families and families who travel after mass treatment. Communities will have MDA stopped if infection is 1% or less, or TF is less than 5%. MDA will be reinstated if infection re-emerges to 6% or more. The proportion of communities that are able to stop mass treatment will be compared in the group of communities randomized to mass treatment plus the newcomer/traveler treatment program compared to the communities randomized to mass treatment alone after 24 months. At the recommendation of the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee in March 2015, thirty eight (38) of the 52 communities identified as being at risk of trachoma re-emergence at 18 months will be surveyed at 30 months. At risk of trachoma re-infection communities have C. trachomatis infection rates less than or equal to 1% or TF < 5% at the time of the 18 month survey. Surveillance of communities for families that meet the newcomer or traveler status will extend 6 months beyond the 24 month survey to 30 months in the intervention communities only. A survey of sentinel children in the intervention and control communities at 30 months will be conducted to assess the level of trachoma and infection in all 38 communities at risk of trachoma re-emergence.

Mass antimicrobial administrations have been remarkably successful in reducing the prevalence of the ocular strains of Chlamydia that cause trachoma. Repeated distributions progressively lower the prevalence of infection, and in some cases may even result in local elimination. Mass treatments cannot be continued forever, due to concerns about cost and antibiotic resistance. The hope has been that other measures such as latrine construction and hygiene programs would prevent infection from returning. Unfortunately, no non-antibiotic measure has yet demonstrated an effect on infection. We hypothesize that Chlamydial infection will return to communities when treatment ends. We hypothesize that infection will be completely eliminated in all communities treated for seven years. We hypothesize that identifying and treating clinically active cases among preschool aged children will delay or even prevent reemergence at a far lower cost than mass treatment of all individuals.

Trachoma is a disease of poverty, which in the hyperendemic areas affects all individuals by the time they are two years old. Active disease is concentrated in children and occurs sporadically in adults. Infection is more widespread. It is anticipated that 25% of the children will be blinded by this disease if they live to be 60 years of age. The blindness rates are higher in women, presumably because of their closer contact with children who can infect them and add to damage from infections the women had while young. This proposal is to better define how azithromycin in community-based treatment can be used to eliminate blinding trachoma. We will also take the opportunity to join these field studies with genetic epidemiologic studies to better understand the dynamic epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in a trachoma endemic area. The empiric data generated from the treatment/follow-up studies, together with the information on sources and spread patterns from genetic epidemiology will be used to generate more robust models to guide future treatment/re-treatment protocols. We propose to conduct a randomized, community based trial in the Maradi region of Niger to test the hypothesis that two community wide azithromycin treatments, spaced one month apart, are significantly more effective in reducing ocular C. trachomatis infection and trachoma at one year compared to a single mass azithromycin treatment.

Trachoma, an ocular infection caused by C. trachomatis, is the second leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Years of repeated infection with C. trachomatis cause the eyelid to scar and contract and ultimately to rotate inward such that the eyelashes rub against the eyeball and abrade the cornea (trichiasis). The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed a multi-faceted strategy to combat trachoma which includes surgery to repair lids distorted by trachoma (trichiasis) in imminent danger of vision loss. Current evidence suggests that long-term success rates of trichiasis surgery are less than optimal due to variation in surgical technique. Previous research by this study team has demonstrated that shorter incisions have a higher rate of trichiasis recurrence. In addition, observations by this team's oculoplastic surgeon have led to the hypothesis that granuloma formation and lid contour abnormalities may result from current surgical practices. The objective of this study is to compare outcomes of trichiasis surgeries performed with the newly developed trachomatous trichiasis (TT) clamp versus surgeries following standard technique (bilamellar tarsal rotation procedure or BLTR).

The WHO has initiated a program to eliminate blinding trachoma by the year 2020, in large part by mass oral azithromycin distributions. It is not clear how frequently or for how long these treatments are necessary. Here we assess the frequency and duration of treatment.