ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2018
Serological and PCR-based markers of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis transmission in northern Ghana after elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of platforms for testing antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis antigens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Togo.Scientific reports · 2021Trial
- Comparison of Methods for Assessing Chlamydia trachomatis Transmission Intensity: A Systematic Review.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026Article
- National progress towards the elimination of trachomatous inflammation-follicular: analysis of 11 regions in Ethiopia.International health · 2026Article
- Impact of evidence-based programmatic adaptations in addressing the persistence and recrudescence of trachoma in Kajiado County, Kenya.International health · 2025Article
- Cost-effectiveness of adding measurement of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and serology to trachoma prevalence surveys in Tanzania and Mozambique.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Ongoing transmission of trachoma in low prevalence districts in Mozambique: results from four cross-sectional enhanced impact surveys, 2022.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Validation of immunoassays for the Chlamydia trachomatis antigen Pgp3 using a chimeric monoclonal antibody.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Trachoma.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2022Review
- Characterising spatial patterns of neglected tropical disease transmission using integrated sero-surveillance in Northern Ghana.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Article
- A high-specificity flap probe-based isothermal nucleic acid amplification method based on recombinant FEN1-Bst DNA polymerase.Biosensors & bioelectronics · 2021Article
- Surveillance for peri-elimination trachoma recrudescence: Exploratory studies in Ghana.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2021Article
- Acceptability and perceived utility of different diagnostic tests and sample types for trachoma surveillance in the Bijagos Islands, Guinea Bissau.Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene · 2021Article
- Can we eradicate trachoma? A survey of stakeholders.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2021Article
- Lessons learned for surveillance strategies for trachoma elimination as a public health problem, from the evaluation of approaches utilised by Guinea worm and onchocerciasis programmes: A literature review.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2021Review
- The use of serology for trachoma surveillance: Current status and priorities for future investigation.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2020Review
- Effectiveness and safety of azithromycin 1.5% eye drops for mass treatment of active trachoma in a highly endemic district in Cameroon.BMJ open ophthalmology · 2020Article
- Pgp3 seroprevalence and associations with active trachoma and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Malawi: cross-sectional surveys in six evaluation units.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2019Article
- Operational adaptations of the trachoma pre-validation surveillance strategy employed in Ghana: a qualitative assessment of successes and challenges.Infectious diseases of poverty · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
17 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundValidation of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem is based on clinical indicators, using the WHO simplified grading system. Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection and anti-Ct antibody responses (anti-Pgp3) have both been evaluated as alternative indicators in settings with varying levels of trachoma. There is a need to evaluate the feasibility of using tests for Ct infection and anti-Pgp3 antibodies at scale in a trachoma-endemic country and to establish the added value of the data generated for understanding transmission dynamics in the peri-elimination setting. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL
findingsDried blood spots for serological testing and ocular swabs for Ct infection testing (taken from children aged 1-9 years) were integrated into the pre-validation trachoma surveys conducted in the Northern and Upper West regions of Ghana in 2015 and 2016. Ct infection was detected using the GeneXpert PCR platform and the presence of anti-Pgp3 antibodies was detected using both the ELISA assay and multiplex bead array (MBA). The overall mean cluster-summarised TF prevalence (the clinical indicator) was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.6-1.0) and Ct infection prevalence was 0.04% (95%CI: 0.00-0.12). Anti-Pgp3 seroprevalence using the ELISA was 5.5% (95% CI: 4.8-6.3) compared to 4.3% (95%CI: 3.7-4.9) using the MBA. There was strong evidence from both assays that seropositivity increased with age (p<0.001), although the seroconversion rate was estimated to be very low (between 1.2 to 1.3 yearly events per 100 children). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Infection and serological data provide useful information to aid in understanding Ct transmission dynamics. Elimination of trachoma as a public health problem does not equate to the absence of ocular Ct infection nor cessation in acquisition of anti-Ct antibodies.
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