Prevalence of Trachoma in Yobe State, North-Eastern Nigeria

AIMS: To determine the prevalence and types of trachoma in all persons resident in Yobe state, Nigeria and establish baseline data for monitoring and evaluation of trachoma control programmes. METHODS: A population based cross-sectional survey of 27 villages' selected based on probability proportional to size. Three thousand, three hundred and fifty seven persons residing in these villages were examined with a x2.5 magnifying binocular loupe for trachoma. Trachoma was graded according to the World Health Organisation grading scheme. RESULTS: Three thousand three hundred and thirty five persons were examined. Blindness prevalence was 2.5% (CI, 2.0-3.1%); 17.9% of blindness was due to trachomatous corneal opacity. The prevalence of trachoma follicular conjunctivitis in children less 1-9 years was 18.3% (CI 16.1%-20.8%) while trachomatous trichiasis prevalence in adults above 15 years was 3.8% (CI 3.0%-4.8%). Adult females were more likely to have trichiasis than males, odds ratio 2.12 (CI 1.23-3.71). CONCLUSION: Trachoma remains a major cause of blindness in Yobe state; thereby supporting the need to implement all aspects of the trachoma control programme recommended by the World Health Organisation to eliminate this avoidable cause of blindness.