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Assessing the prevalence of trachoma in the east, north, far North and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon, 2016-2022
Epee, E., Tagne, C. F., Bakhtiari, A., Boyd, S., Willis, R., Harte, A. J., Jimenez, C., Burgert-Brucker, C., Goldman, W., Kello, A. B., Palmer, S., Houck, P., Reid, S., Toubali, E., Zhang, Y., Cohn, D. A., Gueye, F., Ngondi, J. M., Teta, I., ... Bella, A. (2024). Assessing the prevalence of trachoma in the east, north, far North and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon, 2016-2022. International Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihae071
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. Within each EU, clusters were selected using probability of selection proportional to population size. Participants were examined for trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) and trachomatous trichiasis (TT).
RESULTS: A total of 151 800 people were examined in 45 surveys across 35 EUs. Based on the most recent survey results, TF prevalence was greater than the 5% TF elimination threshold in two EUs. Ten EUs had TT prevalence estimates greater than the 0.2% elimination threshold.
CONCLUSIONS: Trachoma remains a public health problem in Cameroon. Continued interventions are needed in EUs with prevalence estimates greater than elimination thresholds, including antibiotic mass drug administration and improved access to TT surgery. Future surveys will be needed to determine when national elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been achieved.
