Trachoma and poverty: unnecessary blindness further disadvantages the poorest people in the poorest countries

Abstract

Trachoma is the leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide. Many populations living in poverty are affected by trachoma. The infectious organism is provided with an ideal milieu for transmission, where markers of poverty are present. These include overcrowding, lack of adequate water resources, limited use of water for personal hygiene, inadequate waste disposal and other conditions that encourage the proliferation of flies. This review summarises treatment strategies that have been effectively instituted in many countries to reduce the prevalence of trachoma. The review promotes partnerships working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals developed by the United Nations to address issues associated with poverty. These goals are in keeping with many of the strategies to reduce the burden of potentially blinding trachoma that afflicts some of the world's poorest citizens.

Key words:

• blindness
• poverty
• trachoma