Publications by authors named "Anthony Solomon"
Introduction: Trachoma is caused by the bacterium (). The WHO recommends the SAFE strategy for trachoma elimination: Surgery for trichiasis, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement. Multiple rounds of SAFE implementation have proven insufficient to eliminate trachoma in Ethiopia, where over 50% of the global trachoma burden remains.
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- Trachoma is the primary infectious cause of blindness, and individuals with trachomatous corneal opacity (TCO) are considered at high risk for graft failure in corneal transplantation.
- A review of studies from 1992 to 2022 found that 71% of grafts were clear at follow-up, but there was significant variability in study quality and reporting.
- Although evidence is limited, keratoplasty appears to improve vision in TCO patients, suggesting potential benefits for this underserved group.
Background: Baseline prevalence surveys in Cameroon in 2010-2012 showed that trachoma was endemic primarily in the north of the country, with 23 evaluation units (EUs) requiring interventions against active (inflammatory) trachoma. This study presents data from prevalence surveys conducted in 2016-2022 following interventions against trachoma in the East, North, Far North and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon.
Methods: EUs were created based on health district boundaries.
Article Synopsis
- Mozambique is progressing in eliminating trachoma, but some districts still have TF prevalence above the 5% threshold despite interventions like antibiotic distribution.
- A study in August 2022 tested residents in four districts for trachoma and other factors like water and hygiene, focusing on children aged 1-9 years.
- Findings showed TF prevalence between 1.1% and 6.0%, with lower prevalence in three districts, while seroprevalence and transmission rates varied, providing valuable data for monitoring trachoma programs.
Article Synopsis
- Trachoma is aimed for global elimination by 2030, with a focus on using IgG antibody measurements in children for monitoring and decision-making in public health programs.
- There are no existing guidelines for using serology in trachoma control, highlighting a larger issue in the field of disease elimination and epidemiology.
- Researchers analyzed IgG levels in 63,911 children from various regions to determine seroconversion rates and proposed a method to assess when population transmission falls below or exceeds intervention thresholds, aiding trachoma program strategies.
Background: Trachoma causes blindness due to repeated conjunctival infection by Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). Transmission intensity is estimated, for programmatic decision-making, by prevalence of the clinical sign trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) in children aged 1-9 years. Research into complementary indicators to field-graded TF includes work on conjunctival photography, tests for ocular Ct infection, and serology.
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- Trachoma is a major public health target for elimination in Nigeria by 2030, with systematic efforts starting in 2002 and partnerships like the Global Trachoma Mapping Project aiding in data collection.
- Over the years, significant actions have been taken, including providing over 34 million antibiotic treatments and addressing trichiasis management in 231 local government areas, resulting in 89 LGAs eliminating active trachoma.
- Continued progress in improving water and sanitation, along with strong national program leadership and sustained funding, is essential for achieving the elimination of trachoma as a public health issue in Nigeria by the set deadline.
Climate change, malaria and neglected tropical diseases: a scoping review.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study looked at how climate change impacts malaria and other tropical diseases over the past 13 years.
- Researchers found that many studies focus on malaria and dengue, but less on some other important diseases.
- There’s still a lot we don’t know about how climate change will affect these diseases, so we need better research to figure it out.
Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in the control, elimination, and eradication of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Despite these advances, most NTD programs have recently experienced important setbacks; for example, NTD interventions were some of the most frequently and severely impacted by service disruptions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Mathematical modeling can help inform selection of interventions to meet the targets set out in the NTD road map 2021-2030, and such studies should prioritize questions that are relevant for decision-makers, especially those designing, implementing, and evaluating national and subnational programs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) suggests antibiotic mass drug administration (MDA) is needed to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem but the burden of trichiasis is low. As a result, WHO issued bespoke recommendations for the region. If ≥ 20% of 10-14-year-olds have both any conjunctival scarring (C1 or C2 or C3) and corneal pannus and/or Herbert's pits, MDA should be continued.
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- Researchers tested if taking pictures of eyes could help diagnose a disease called trachoma in kids, especially as the number of cases gets lower.
- They took photos of children's eyelids using two types of cameras and asked different people to look at the images to see how accurate they were.
- While people found taking pictures easy and liked using smartphones, they realized the photo quality must be really good to correctly identify the disease before using it in larger surveys.
Purpose: Population-based prevalence surveys are essential for decision-making on interventions to achieve trachoma elimination as a public health problem. This paper outlines the methodologies of Tropical Data, which supports work to undertake those surveys.
Methods: Tropical Data is a consortium of partners that supports health ministries worldwide to conduct globally standardised prevalence surveys that conform to World Health Organization recommendations.
Article Synopsis
- Trachomatous trichiasis (TT) is a painful eye problem that can cause blindness, and women are affected more than men.
- Researchers studied data from 20 African countries to see how men and women are treated for TT and if there are differences.
- The results showed that women are more likely to have complications after surgery and are more likely to refuse surgery, suggesting there are some gender differences in how TT is managed.
Background: Following interventions to eliminate trachoma in Somali region, Ethiopia, we aimed to re-estimate the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) and trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) at woreda level and identify the factors associated with the disease.
Methods: We implemented cross-sectional community-based surveys in 50 trachoma-endemic woredas, using a standardized survey. Households were the secondary sampling unit.
Background: Following baseline surveys in 2013 and 2014, trachoma elimination interventions, including three rounds of azithromycin mass drug administration (MDA), were implemented in 13 woredas (administrative districts) of Gambella Regional State, Ethiopia. We conducted impact surveys to determine if elimination thresholds have been met or if additional interventions are required.
Methods: Cross-sectional population-based surveys were conducted in 13 woredas of Gambella Regional State, combined into five evaluation units (EUs), 6─12 months after their last MDA round.
Article Synopsis
- Trachoma is an eye disease causing inflammation and potential eyelid scarring, leading to complications like trachomatous trichiasis (TT), and a study was conducted to assess its prevalence in Benin.
- The study involved 23 surveys that measured the occurrence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) and TT, with a total of 68,613 people examined through various methods of sampling.
- Results showed TF prevalence was below the 5% elimination threshold, but TT prevalence exceeded the 0.2% threshold in nine districts, indicating a need for enhanced case-finding and better access to surgical treatment for TT in Benin.
Perceptions and acceptability of co-administered albendazole, ivermectin and azithromycin mass drug administration, among the health workforce and recipient communities in Ethiopia.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
October 2023
Several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) employ mass drug administration (MDA) as part of their control or elimination strategies. This has historically required multiple distinct campaigns, each targeting one or more NTDs, representing a strain on both the recipient communities and the local health workforce implementing the distribution. We explored perceptions and attitudes surrounding combined MDA among these two groups of stakeholders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA modelling analysis of a new multi-stage pathway for classifying achievement of public health milestones for leprosy.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
October 2023
Several countries have come close to eliminating leprosy, but leprosy cases continue to be detected at low levels. Due to the long, highly variable delay from infection to detection, the relationship between observed cases and transmission is uncertain. The World Health Organization's new technical guidance provides a path for countries to reach elimination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCorrigendum to "Safety of integrated mass drug administration of azithromycin, albendazole and ivermectin versus standard treatment regimens: a cluster-randomised trial in Ethiopia".
EClinicalMedicine
August 2023
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Trachoma is the commonest infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Efforts are being made to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem globally. However, as prevalence decreases, it becomes more challenging to precisely predict prevalence.
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- - Baseline mapping revealed trachoma as a significant public health issue in Kiribati, prompting the government to implement two rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) of antibiotics.
- - An impact survey conducted in 2019 on Kiritimati Island and Tarawa found that while there was a 40% decrease in trachomatous inflammation (TF) in children aged 1-9 years, prevalence still surpassed the threshold required to stop MDA.
- - Despite some reductions in infection indicators, trachomatous trichiasis rates remained constant and above elimination targets, indicating that trachoma continues to be a public health challenge in Kiribati even after intervention efforts.
Article Synopsis
- Trichiasis occurs when eyelashes grow inward and touch the eyeball, potentially leading to permanent vision loss, caused mainly by repeated infections from Chlamydia trachomatis.
- A study in The Gambia assessed the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) through surveys in five evaluation units, using a two-stage cluster sampling method involving nearly 12,000 individuals aged 15 and older.
- The results showed a very low prevalence of TT, with some regions reporting 0.0%, leading to The Gambia being validated in 2021 for achieving the elimination of trachoma as a public health issue, demonstrating the effectiveness of dedicated resources and political commitment in addressing the problem.
Article Synopsis
- Trachoma, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, can lead to permanent vision loss, prompting Burundi to focus on its elimination since 2007 as part of addressing neglected tropical diseases.
- A comprehensive study conducted between 2018 and 2021 involved baseline, impact, and surveillance surveys across multiple evaluation units, assessing the prevalence of trachoma and related factors in around 63,800 individuals.
- Results showed a decrease in trachoma prevalence among children and generally low rates in older populations, along with high access to safe drinking water, indicating that with ongoing efforts, Burundi could achieve trachoma elimination successfully.