Extended mapping of trachoma in the Western Pacific Region

Global trachoma control programmes use clinical signs of trachoma as indicators for population scale mass drug distribution. Based on clinical signs of early-stage trachoma, many of the Pacific Island nations (including the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati and Vanuatu) were targeted for interventions, but the very low prevalence of late-stage clinical signs in some districts appeared incongruent.

This research programme uses information gained from population based sero-epidemiological screening as well as direct tests for ocular infection and high resolution photography to understand the health threat that trachoma poses in the region. Work so far has shown that clinical signs which closely resemble trachoma are frequently found in Solomon Islanders with no history of Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

Ongoing studies are assessing the immediate and long term impacts of a drug administration programme on ocular inflammatory diseases, while attempting to better characterise the trachoma like disease found in the Solomon Islands.