ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2013
The geographical distribution and burden of trachoma in Africa.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 43 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Prevalence of active trachoma among 1-9 years of age children in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Historical overview and geographical distribution of neglected tropical diseases amenable to preventive chemotherapy in the Republic of the Congo: A systematic review.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Pooled it
- Factors shaping the implementation of the SAFE strategy for trachoma using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research: a systematic review.Global health action · 2019Pooled it
- A search for trachoma in Timor-Leste: no evidence to justify undertaking population-based prevalence surveys.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2018Pooled it
- Trachoma.BMJ clinical evidence · 2016Pooled it
- Frequency of Mass Azithromycin Distribution for Ocular Chlamydia in a Trachoma Endemic Region of Ethiopia: A Cluster Randomized Trial.American journal of ophthalmology · 2020Trial
- Scaling trachoma surveillance in endemic areas using machine learning.BMC infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Does persistent active trachoma mandate antibiotic mass drug administration? A comparison of prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular with that of conjunctival infection and anti-chlamydial antibodies, Western Province, Zambia.International health · 2026Article
- Twenty-Three Population-Based Trachoma Prevalence Surveys in the Central and Northern Regions of Benin, 2018-2022.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2024Article
- Active trachoma and associated factors in children aged 1 to 9 years living in Sasiga rural districts, East Wallaga Zone, Ethiopia, in 2022: a community- based cross-sectional study.BMC ophthalmology · 2024Article
- Prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular and associated factors among children aged 1-9 years in northeastern Ethiopia.BMC pediatrics · 2024Article
- Review
- The 100 most cited articles on trachoma: a bibliometric analysis.International ophthalmology · 2023Article
- Determinants of Trachomatous Inflammation-Follicular Among Children Aged 1 to 9 Years Old in a Rural Area of Gozamn District, Northwestern Ethiopia: A Matched Case-Control Study.Environmental health insights · 2023Article
- To eliminate trachoma: Azithromycin mass drug administration coverage and associated factors among adults in Goro district, Southeast Ethiopia.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Article
- Trachoma.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2022Review
- Status of active trachoma infection among school children who live in villages of open field defecation: a comparative cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2021Article
- Low prevalence of active trachoma and associated factors among children aged 1-9 years in rural communities of Metema District, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study.Italian journal of pediatrics · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere remains a lack of epidemiological data on the geographical distribution of trachoma to support global mapping and scale up of interventions for the elimination of trachoma. The Global Atlas of Trachoma (GAT) was launched in 2011 to address these needs and provide standardised, updated and accessible maps. This paper uses data included in the GAT to describe the geographical distribution and burden of trachoma in Africa.
methodsData assembly used structured searches of published and unpublished literature to identify cross-sectional epidemiological data on the burden of trachoma since 1980. Survey data were abstracted into a standardised database and mapped using geographical information systems (GIS) software. The characteristics of all surveys were summarized by country according to data source, time period, and survey methodology. Estimates of the current population at risk were calculated for each country and stratified by endemicity class.
resultsAt the time of writing, 1342 records are included in the database representing surveys conducted between 1985 and 2012. These data were provided by direct contact with national control programmes and academic researchers (67%), peer-reviewed publications (17%) and unpublished reports or theses (16%). Prevalence data on active trachoma are available in 29 of the 33 countries in Africa classified as endemic for trachoma, and 1095 (20.6%) districts have representative data collected through population-based prevalence surveys. The highest prevalence of active trachoma and trichiasis remains in the Sahel area of West Africa and Savannah areas of East and Central Africa and an estimated 129.4 million people live in areas of Africa confirmed to be trachoma endemic.
conclusionThe Global Atlas of Trachoma provides the most contemporary and comprehensive summary of the burden of trachoma within Africa. The GAT highlights where future mapping is required and provides an important planning tool for scale-up and surveillance of trachoma control.
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Registered trials
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