Publications by authors named "H Mkocha"
Article Synopsis
- - The study examines the management of Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT) after eliminating Trachoma inflammation-follicular (TF) in children, focusing on the timeline and program requirements based on data from women in Kongwa, Tanzania.
- - Using Markov models, the incidence rates of scarring progression (from no scarring to TT) were analyzed, revealing that higher community prevalence of TF significantly increases the risk of scarring.
- - The findings indicate that even after achieving TF elimination, some districts may continue to experience cases of TT for decades, particularly in areas with a history of TF prevalence above 5%.
Article Synopsis
- The GET initiative aims to eliminate trachoma using the SAFE strategy, which includes Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement, but lacks a standardized measure for facial cleanliness.
- This study evaluated two metrics for measuring facial cleanliness among children in Tanzania: one based on the absence of ocular and nasal discharge and the other based on dirtiness graded on a facial wipe.
- Both metrics were found to be equally reliable and effectively detected face washing behavior, although they measure different aspects of cleanliness, suggesting the choice of metric should align with specific measurement goals.
Background: Trachoma is a chronic conjunctivitis caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Repeated infections lead to trachomatous conjunctival scarring which can progress to potentially blinding trachomatous trichiasis (TT). In trachoma hyperendemic conditions, women compared to men have an increased risk of scarring and TT, which can progress to blinding corneal opacification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The purpose was to assess an expansion of a previously published photographic four-step severity grading scale for trachomatous scarring (TS).
Methods: Images of everted eyelids of adult women in Tanzania were graded for the presence and severity of TS. The previous S3 grade was subdivided into two categories: S3A, one-third to <50% of the upper eyelid conjunctiva scarred; and S3B, 50% to <90%.
Background: There is an increasing demand for photography for trachoma prevalence surveys. In previous studies, digital single lens reflex (DSLR) images were superior to smartphone images, but newer-model smartphones and/or lens attachments may be able to bridge this gap. This study compares the image quality and ability to detect trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF) of three camera types: a DSLR Nikon camera, an iPhone SE and an iPhone 13 Pro with a cell scope.
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