[Tropical endemic limbo-conjunctivitis in Lúbumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo].

Purpose: To determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of tropical endemic limbo-conjunctivitis (TELC).

Methods: A review of records of all patients aged 0-15 years with a diagnosis of tropical endemic limbo-conjunctivitis examined between January 2000 and February 2002. The diagnosis was based on interview and routine ocular examination.

Results: A total of 139 patients out of 422 patients had the diagnosis of TELC, giving a relative frequency of 32.9%. The average age with TELC was 6.5 years which was lower than that of patients without TELC (7.6 years). The sex distribution didn't show any difference between the two sexes (P = 0.345). Children aged 0-4 years were the most affected by the disease. Itching (86%), red eye (51%), brown eye (48%), and tearing (48%) were the most frequent complaints encountered. Photophobia was only seen in 12% of patients. The distribution of the types of the disease was: palpebral form (58%), mixed form (39%) and limbal form (3%).

Conclusion: One out of three children 0-15 years of age who consulted suffers from LCET in Lubumbashi; although other African studies reported difference in distribution in sex and the predominance of the limbal (bulbar) form of the disease, such data were not found in this study. The disease was equally distributed among sexes and the palpebral form was the most frequently encountered. Complications are uncommon. Other studies are needed to confirm the findings of this study.