TRACHOMA

Zaimanur 03012296

TRACHOMA
Defined as a chronic, contagious infection of the conjunctiva and cornea, characterized by the formation of granulations and scarring, and caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.

THE SPREAD OF Chlamydia trachomatis

1. The eye-seeking fly Musca sorbens aggressively feeds on ocular and nasal discharges that contain Chlamydia trachomatis 2. DIRECT contact with eye, throat, and nose secretions

3. contact with inanimate objects that have had direct contact

How its Spread ?

SIGN AND SYMPTOM

Early symptoms similar to conjunctivitis (pink eye) and
This inflammation is called active trachoma and mostly seen in children

cicatricial trachoma
structural changes:
Scarring in eye lid
Leads to distortion of lid
This leads to Trichiasis! (turned in eyelashes)

Blood vessels and scar tissue invades the upper cornea

Trichiasis
Later stage of Trachoma
Eyelashes turn inwards and rub on the cornea

Further symptoms may include: Eye discharged Swollen eyelids Trichiasis Swelling of lymph nodes in front of the ears Sensitivity to bright lights Increased heart rate Further ear, nose and throat complications.

 The major complication or the most important one is corneal ulcer occurring due to rubbing by concentrations, or trichiasis with superimposed bacterial infection.

DIAGNOSIS
Mc Callan's classification WHO classification

The Simplified WHO Grading System is summarized below:

Inflammatory Trachoma - Follicles (TF)

TF = Trachomatous Inflammation Follicular : the presence of 5 or more follicles, each of which must be at least 0.5mm in diameter, on the flat surface of the upper tarsal conjunctiva.

Inflammatory Trachoma - Intense (TI)

TI = Trachomatous Inflammation - Intense: marked inflammatory thickening of the upper tarsal conjunctiva that obscures more than half of the deep conjunctival vessels. The clinical presentation of trachoma now shows increased inflammation and is recognised as being a highly infectious stage of the disease process.

Conjunctival Scarring of Trachoma (TS)

TS = Trachomatous Scarring :the presence of scarring in the tarsal conjunctiva.

Trichiasis of Trachoma (TT)

TT = Trachomatous Trichiasis: evidence of one or more eyelashes rubbing on the eyeball. If one eyelash or a number of eyelashes have recently been removed, then the patients trachoma should be graded as trachomatous trichiasis also.

Corneal Opacity due to Trachoma (CO)

CO = Corneal Opacity:corneal scarring due to trachoma where the scarring is central and sufficiently dense to obscure part of the pupil margin

What is the SAFE strategy? The SAFE strategy emphasises to the health worker key points in the control of trachoma and the prevention of blindness. S: Surgical correction of trichiasis (top left) A: Antibiotic treatment of trachoma (top right) F: Faces which are clean prevent the spread of diseases from child to child (bottom left) E: Environmental changes (water and sanitation) to improve personal and community hygiene (bottom right)

 it is important for us to know the early signs of a disease that infects the eye and can lead to blindness, although the good prognosis of this disease, we must break the chain of this spread, prevention should be implemented immediately in order to reach the neighborhood families and communities healthy and free from blindness . Know the signs, so that appropriate treatment can be done.