Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27603015›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2016

Low Prevalence of Conjunctival Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in a Treatment-Naïve Trachoma-Endemic Region of the Solomon Islands.

Robert M R Butcher, Oliver Sokana, Kelvin Jack, Colin K Macleod, Michael E Marks, Eric Kalae, Leslie Sui, Charles Russell, Helena J Tutill, Rachel J Williams and 6 more

Erratum issuedOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2016. 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 34 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
34citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% 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

34 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 46 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Article
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  11. Article
  12. Trachoma.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2022
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Conjunctival Scarring, Corneal Pannus, and Herbert's Pits in Adolescent Children in Trachoma-endemic Populations of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2021
    Article
  17. Article
  18. The simplified trachoma grading system, amended.Bulletin of the World Health Organization · 2020
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Robert M R ButcherClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Oliver SokanaEye Department, Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Kelvin JackEye Department, Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Colin K MacleodClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Michael E MarksClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Eric KalaePrimary Care Department, Lata Hospital, Lata, Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands.
Leslie SuiPrimary Care Department, Lata Hospital, Lata, Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands.
Charles RussellBellona Rural Health Centre, Bellona, Solomon Islands.
Helena J TutillDivision of Infection & Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Rachel J WilliamsDivision of Infection & Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Judith BreuerDivision of Infection & Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Rebecca WillisTask Force for Global Health, Decatur, Georgia, United States of America.
Richard T Le MesurierCentre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
David C W MabeyClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Anthony W SolomonClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Chrissy H RobertsClinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBUniversity College London · GBCentre for Eye Research Australia · AUHospital for Tropical Diseases · GBThe Task Force for Global Health · US

Funding

Department of HealthWellcome TrustWellcome Trust 098521/B/12/ZWellcome Trust 102807/Z/13/ZWellcome Trust 105609/Z/14/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTrachoma is endemic in several Pacific Island states. Recent surveys across the Solomon Islands indicated that whilst trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) was present at levels warranting intervention, the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) was low. We set out to determine the relationship between chlamydial infection and trachoma in this population.

methodsWe conducted a population-based trachoma prevalence survey of 3674 individuals from two Solomon Islands provinces. Participants were examined for clinical signs of trachoma. Conjunctival swabs were collected from all children aged 1-9 years. We tested swabs for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) DNA using droplet digital PCR. Chlamydial DNA from positive swabs was enriched and sequenced for use in phylogenetic analysis.

resultsWe observed a moderate prevalence of TF in children aged 1-9 years (n = 296/1135, 26.1%) but low prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-intense (TI) (n = 2/1135, 0.2%) and current Ct infection (n = 13/1002, 1.3%) in children aged 1-9 years, and TT in those aged 15+ years (n = 2/2061, 0.1%). Ten of 13 (76.9%) cases of infection were in persons with TF or TI (p = 0.0005). Sequence analysis of the Ct-positive samples yielded 5/13 (38%) complete (>95% coverage of reference) genome sequences, and 8/13 complete plasmid sequences. Complete sequences all aligned most closely to ocular serovar reference strains. DISCUSSION: The low prevalence of TT, TI and Ct infection that we observed are incongruent with the high proportion of children exhibiting signs of TF. TF is present at levels that apparently warrant intervention, but the scarcity of other signs of trachoma indicates the phenotype is mild and may not pose a significant public health threat. Our data suggest that, whilst conjunctival Ct infection appears to be present in the region, it is present at levels that are unlikely to be the dominant driving force for TF in the population. This could be one reason for the low prevalence of TT observed during the study.

Indexed as

AdolescentAge DistributionChildChild, PreschoolChlamydia trachomatisCluster AnalysisCross-Sectional StudiesFamily CharacteristicsFemaleHumansInfantLogistic ModelsMaleMass ScreeningMelanesiaPhylogeny

Identifiers

PMID27603015
PMCPMC5014345
OpenAlexW2511691396

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.