SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2013
The impact of climatic risk factors on the prevalence, distribution, and severity of acute and chronic trachoma.
Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 44 citations in OpenAlex.
- Predictors of trachoma among children aged 1-9 years in Ethiopia: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Pooled it
- Community-level trachoma ecological associations and the use of geospatial analysis methods: A systematic review.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Pooled it
- The impact of climate on the abundance of Musca sorbens, the vector of trachoma.Parasites & vectors · 2016Pooled it
- Perspectives on implementing environmentally sustainable practices in cataract surgeries: interviews of administrative and frontline healthcare workers.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Perspectives on Implementing Environmentally Sustainable Practices in Cataract Surgeries: Interviews of Administrative and Frontline Healthcare Workers.Research square · 2025Article
- Analysis and forecast of the disease burden of trachoma in China and the Global Population over 15 years of age, 1990-2021.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Keeping an eye on climate change? Effects on vision health.Journal of biosciences · 2025Review
- Trachoma in Sudan: Risk Factors and Clinical Stages in Patients From Two Eye Care Hospitals, 2015.Cureus · 2024Article
- National Eye Institute's (NEI) coordination efforts and current opportunities for sustainability, adaptation, and climate resilience in global eye health - ARVO 2023 session commentary.Eye (London, England) · 2024Article
- How Ophthalmologists Can Decarbonize Eye Care: A Review of Existing Sustainability Strategies and Steps Ophthalmologists Can Take.Ophthalmology · 2023Review
- The Connection between Climate Change, Surgical Care and Neglected Tropical Diseases.Annals of global health · 2022Article
- Flies as possible vectors of inflammatory trachoma transmission in a Brazilian municipality.Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo · 2021Article
- Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Context of Climate Change in East Africa: A Systematic Scoping Review.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2020Article
- Understanding the spatial distribution of trichiasis and its association with trachomatous inflammation-follicular.BMC infectious diseases · 2019Article
- The Burden of and Risk Factors for Trachoma in Selected Districts of Zimbabwe: Results of 16 Population-Based Prevalence Surveys.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2018Article
- Prevalence of trachoma in the Afar Region of Ethiopia: results of seven population-based surveys from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2018Article
- Baseline trachoma prevalence in Guinea: Results of national trachoma mapping in 31 health districts.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2018Article
- Climate Change and the Neglected Tropical Diseases.Advances in parasitology · 2018Review
- The Epidemiology of Trachoma in Darfur States and Khartoum State, Sudan: Results of 32 Population-Based Prevalence Surveys.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2016Article
- Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Trachoma in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia: Results of 40 Population-Based Prevalence Surveys Carried Out with the Global Trachoma Mapping Project.Ophthalmic epidemiology · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesTrachoma is the most common cause of infectious blindness. Hot, dry climates, dust and water scarcity are thought to be associated with the distribution of trachoma but the evidence is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological evidence regarding the extent to which climatic factors explain the current prevalence, distribution, and severity of acute and chronic trachoma. Understanding the present relationship between climate and trachoma could help inform current and future disease elimination.
methodsA systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted to identify observational studies which quantified an association between climate factors and acute or chronic trachoma and which met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies that assessed the association between climate types and trachoma prevalence were also reviewed.
resultsOnly eight of the 1751 papers retrieved met the inclusion criteria, all undertaken in Africa. Several papers reported an association between trachoma prevalence and altitude in highly endemic areas, providing some evidence of a role for temperature in the transmission of acute disease. A robust mapping study found strong evidence of an association between low rainfall and active trachoma. There is also consistent but weak evidence that the prevalence of trachoma is higher in savannah-type ecological zones. There were no studies on the effect of climate in low endemic areas, nor on the effect of dust on trachoma.
conclusionCurrent evidence on the potential role of climate on trachoma distribution is limited, despite a wealth of anecdotal evidence. Temperature and rainfall appear to play a role in the transmission of acute trachoma, possibly mediated through reduced activity of flies at lower temperatures. Further research is needed on climate and other environmental and behavioural factors, particularly in arid and savannah areas. Many studies did not adequately control for socioeconomic or environmental confounders.
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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.