Publications by authors named "Sandra L Talero"
Article Synopsis
- 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.
Among ocular infections, trachoma is the main cause of blindness. Repeated conjunctival Chlamydia trachomatis infections lead to trichiasis, corneal opacification, and visual impairment. Surgery is often needed to relieve discomfort and preserve vision; however, a high postoperative trachomatous trichiasis (PTT) rate has been observed in various settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Improvements in technology could facilitate task-shifting and ocular disease screening in rural areas.
Methods: Visual acuity (VA) was tested using a Ministry of Health 3-m VA card. Anterior segment photographs were taken using a three-dimensional printed cellphone attachment and remotely graded.
A New Surgical Technique for Postoperative Trachomatous Trichiasis.
Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg
November 2021
Introduction: The World Health Organization has identified management of postoperative trichiasis (PTT) as one of the key remaining areas of focus needed to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem. We developed the Bevel-Rotation Advancement Procedure (B-RAP) to treat individuals who need repeat trichiasis surgery.
Methods: Scarring caused by trichiasis surgery can cause the eyelid to become thick and distorted, making repeat surgery more difficult.
A) Purpose: The objective of the study was to assess the presence of trachoma in high priority districts in the Amazon state of Venezuela (the Bolivarian Republic of), and use trachoma data gathering platform to offer integrated primary health care services to underserved hard-to-reach populations living in the border with Colombia.
B) Methods: Trachoma Rapid Assessments (TRA) were conducted in indigenous communities of three municipalities of the Amazonas State of Venezuela from June 2018 to April 2019 using the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Integrated health services were delivered based on the identified needs of the population of the assessed communities.
The 2021-2030 Neglected Tropical Diseases road map calls for intensified cross-cutting approaches. By moving away from vertical programming, the integration of platforms and intervention delivery aims to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness and programme coverage. Drawing on the direct experiences of the authors, this article outlines key elements for successful integrated surveys, the challenges encountered, as well as future opportunities and threats to such surveys.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to determine the prevalence of trachoma symptoms and identify factors related to trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) in indigenous communities in Vaupés, Colombia, during 2012-2013.
- Researchers collected data from 13,091 individuals across 216 communities, finding a TF prevalence of 21.7% in the Western district and 24.9% in the Eastern district among children aged 1 to 9, with a higher likelihood of TF associated with facial secretions.
- The findings underscore trachoma as a significant public health issue in the region, necessitating the adoption of the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy (Surgery, Antibiotics, Face Washing, Environment
Potential Effect of Epilation on the Outcome of Surgery for Trachomatous Trichiasis.
Transl Vis Sci Technol
July 2019
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess whether epilating eyelashes before surgery affects surgical outcomes for patients with trachomatous trichiasis (TT).
- Out of 1452 patients, those who had epilated prior to surgery showed a higher incidence of postoperative trichiasis (8.8%) compared to those who did not (5.3%).
- Findings suggest that preoperative epilation may increase the risk of postoperative complications, indicating the need for further investigation into its effects on surgery outcomes.