Colin K Macleod1, Robert Butcher1, Sarah Javati2, Sarah Gwyn3, Marinjho Jonduo2, Mohammad Yazid Abdad2,4, Chrissy H Roberts1, Drew Keys5, Samuel Peter Koim6, Robert Ko7, Jambi Garap7, David Pahau8, Wendy Houinei9, Diana L Martin3, William S Pomat2, Anthony W Solomon1. 1. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. 2. Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea. 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 4. National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore. 5. Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation, Sydney, Australia. 6. PNG Eye Care, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 7. Department of Ophthalmology, Port Moresby General Hospital, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. 8. Department of Ophthalmology, Boram General Hospital, Wewak, Papua New Guinea. 9. Neglected Tropical Diseases, National Department of Health, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In Melanesia, the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) suggests that public health-level interventions against active trachoma are needed. However, the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis is below the threshold for elimination as a public health problem and evidence of conjunctival infection with trachoma's causative organism (Chlamydia trachomatis [CT]) is rare. Here, we examine the prevalence of ocular infection with CT and previous exposure to CT in three evaluation units (EUs) of Papua New Guinea. METHODS: All individuals aged 1-9 years who were examined for clinical signs of trachoma in 3 Global Trachoma Mapping Project EUs were eligible to take part in this study (N = 3181). Conjunctival swabs were collected from 349 children with TF and tested by polymerase chain reaction to assess for ocular CT infection. Dried blood spots were collected from 2572 children and tested for anti-Pgp3 antibodies using a multiplex assay. RESULTS: The proportion of children with TF who had CT infection was low across all 3 EUs (overall 2%). Anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence was 5.2% overall and there was no association between anti-Pgp3 antibody level and presence of TF. In 2 EUs, age-specific seroprevalence did not increase significantly with increasing age in the 1- to 9-year-old population. In the third EU, there was a statistically significant change with age but the overall seroprevalence and peak age-specific seroprevalence was very low. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, together with similar findings from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the use of TF to guide antibiotic mass drug administration decisions in Melanesia should be reviewed.
BACKGROUND: In Melanesia, the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) suggests that public health-level interventions against active trachoma are needed. However, the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis is below the threshold for elimination as a public health problem and evidence of conjunctival infection with trachoma's causative organism (Chlamydia trachomatis [CT]) is rare. Here, we examine the prevalence of ocular infection with CT and previous exposure to CT in three evaluation units (EUs) of Papua New Guinea. METHODS: All individuals aged 1-9 years who were examined for clinical signs of trachoma in 3 Global Trachoma Mapping Project EUs were eligible to take part in this study (N = 3181). Conjunctival swabs were collected from 349 children with TF and tested by polymerase chain reaction to assess for ocular CT infection. Dried blood spots were collected from 2572 children and tested for anti-Pgp3 antibodies using a multiplex assay. RESULTS: The proportion of children with TF who had CTinfection was low across all 3 EUs (overall 2%). Anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence was 5.2% overall and there was no association between anti-Pgp3 antibody level and presence of TF. In 2 EUs, age-specific seroprevalence did not increase significantly with increasing age in the 1- to 9-year-old population. In the third EU, there was a statistically significant change with age but the overall seroprevalence and peak age-specific seroprevalence was very low. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, together with similar findings from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the use of TF to guide antibiotic mass drug administration decisions in Melanesia should be reviewed.
Authors: Anthony W Solomon; Matthew J Burton; Emily W Gower; Emma M Harding-Esch; Catherine E Oldenburg; Hugh R Taylor; Lamine Traoré Journal: Nat Rev Dis Primers Date: 2022-05-26 Impact factor: 52.329
Authors: Robert Butcher; Becca Handley; Mackline Garae; Raebwebwe Taoaba; Harry Pickering; Annie Bong; Oliver Sokana; Matthew J Burton; Nuno Sepúlveda; Ana Cama; Richard Le Mesurier; Anthony W Solomon; David Mabey; Fasihah Taleo; Rabebe Tekeraoi; Chrissy H Roberts Journal: J Infect Date: 2020-02-01 Impact factor: 6.072
Authors: Kathleen D Lynch; Sue Chen Apadinuwe; Stephen B Lambert; Tessa Hillgrove; Mitchell Starr; Beth Catlett; Robert S Ware; Anasaini Cama; Sara Webster; Emma M Harding-Esch; Ana Bakhtiari; Robert Butcher; Philip Cunningham; Diana Martin; Sarah Gwyn; Anthony W Solomon; Chandalene Garabwan; John M Kaldor; Susana Vaz Nery Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2022-04-19