Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21693601›Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2011

What is causing active trachoma? The role of nonchlamydial bacterial pathogens in a low prevalence setting.

Matthew J Burton, Victor H Hu, Patrick Massae, Sarah E Burr, Caroline Chevallier, Isaac A Afwamba, Paul Courtright, Helen A Weiss, David C W Mabey, Robin L Bailey

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 49 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
49citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

49 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. Discrepancy Between Active Trachoma and Tests of Chlamydial Infection in Alto Amazonas, Peru.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Matthew J BurtonDepartment of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. matthew.burton@lshtm.ac.uk
Victor H Hu
Patrick Massae
Sarah E Burr
Caroline Chevallier
Isaac A Afwamba
Paul Courtright
Helen A Weiss
David C W Mabey
Robin L Bailey
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre · TZLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G0700837Wellcome Trust 080741/Z/06/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn low prevalence settings, clinically active follicular trachoma (TF) is often found in the absence of detectable Chlamydia trachomatis. The reasons for this persistent follicular phenotype are not well understood; one possible explanation is that other bacterial species are provoking the inflammatory response. This study investigated the relationship between TF, C. trachomatis, and nonchlamydial bacterial infection.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in a trachoma endemic village in Tanzania. All available children were examined for trachoma and swabs were collected for microbiologic culture (blood and chocolate agar) and C. trachomatis PCR (Amplicor).

resultsFour hundred seventy-three children under 10 years of age were recruited for this study. The prevalences of TF and C. trachomatis were 13.7% and 5.3%, respectively, and were not associated. Bacteria were cultured from 305 (64.5%) swab samples; 162 (34.3%) grew a pathogen (with or without a commensal organism) and 143 (30.2%) grew commensal bacteria only. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae (type B and non-type B). The presence of bacterial pathogens was associated with TF (odds ratio, 4.68; 95% confidence interval, 2.31-9.50; P < 0.001).

conclusionsIn regions with low levels of endemic trachoma, it is possible that much of the TF that is observed is attributable to nonchlamydial bacterial pathogens. It is plausible that individuals who have previously developed a follicular conjunctivitis in response to C. trachomatis may more readily reform conjunctival follicles when challenged with certain other bacterial species.

Indexed as

ChildChild, PreschoolChlamydia trachomatisConjunctivitisEndemic DiseasesFemaleHaemophilus InfectionsHaemophilus influenzaeHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMicrobiological TechniquesMultivariate AnalysisPrevalenceStreptococcal InfectionsStreptococcus pneumoniae

Identifiers

PMID21693601
PMCPMC3176035
OpenAlexW1993378934

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.