Silvio Paolo Mariotti

• Doctor of Medicine, Ophthalmologist
• World Health Organization WHO

To complete the baseline trachoma map worldwide by conducting population-based surveys in an estimated 1238 suspected endemic districts of 34 countries. A series of national and sub-national projects owned, managed and staffed by ministries of health, conduct house-to-house cluster random sample surveys in evaluation units, which generally correspo...

Preventive chemotherapy is the public health strategy recommended by the WHO against a set of neglected tropical diseases that includes four groups of helminth infections (lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis) and one chlamydial (trachoma) infection. This article presents the characteristics of pr...

From the most recent data the magnitude of visual impairment and its causes in 2010 have been estimated, globally and by WHO region. The definitions of visual impairment are the current definitions of presenting vision in the International Classification of Diseases version 10. A systematic review was conducted of published and unpublished surveys...

Introduction Causative Organism and Natural History Clinical Manifestations Diagnosis Epidemiology Trachoma: Water and Sanitation Prevention and Control The Path toward Elimination by 2020 Conclusion References

Trachoma is a chronic inflammation of the conjunctiva, most commonly found amongst the most disadvantaged populations living in crowded conditions with insufficient personal and environmental hygiene. Its prevalence is disproportionately high in children and women in poor rural community. The evolution of trachoma is slow and it is characterised by...

Trachoma is the leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide. It is known to be highly correlated with poverty, limited access to healthcare services and water. In 2003, the WHO estimated that 84 million people were suffering from active trachoma, and 7.6 million were severely visually impaired or blind as a result of trachoma: this study provid...

In response to the letter by L Dandona & R Dandona,1 we would like to point out that the study to which they refer (BMC Medicine 2006;4:6) – certainly a useful study in its own right – was not included in the references of our own paper as it informed neither the approach we took to our analysis nor the geographical scope of our work. Our study inc...

Estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment caused by uncorrected refractive errors in 2004 have been determined at regional and global levels for people aged 5 years and over from recent published and unpublished surveys. The estimates were based on the prevalence of visual acuity of less than 6/18 in the better eye with the currently availab...

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases that do not enjoy the international attention and support warranted for their prevention and control. The article explains what NTDs are, and discusses the reasons for their neglect, their burden, their link with poverty, as well as the WHO's role and strategy in tackling them...

Estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment caused by uncorrected refractive errors in 2004 have been determined at regional and global levels for people aged 5 years and over from recent published and unpublished surveys. The estimates were based on the prevalence of visual acuity of less than 6/18 in the better eye with the currently availab...

We aimed to summarize and map the existing global population-based data on active trachoma and trichiasis. Detailed distribution maps of various infectious diseases have proved a valuable tool in their control. Such maps play an important role in assessing the magnitude of the problem, defining priority areas for control, monitoring changes, and ad...

The fight against blinding trachoma is being addressed with an integrated strategy of surgery, antibiotics, hygiene promotion, and environmental improvement-the SAFE strategy, but its cost-effectiveness is largely unknown. This paper estimates the cost effectiveness of surgery and antibiotics in trachoma-endemic areas in seven world regions. A popu...

This paper presents estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment and its causes in 2002, based on the best available evidence derived from recent studies. Estimates were determined from data on low vision and blindness as defined in the International statistical classification of diseases, injuries and causes of death, 10th revision. The number...

Despite long-standing efforts to control it, trachoma remains the leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. According to the most recent estimates, some 84 million people have active trachoma (the infectious stage) in 55 countries in which the disease is endemic (Figure 1), and 7.6 million people have trachomatous trichiasis, the blindin...

To estimate the population health effects, costs and cost effectiveness of selected cataract surgery interventions in areas of the world with different epidemiological profiles. Effectiveness estimates are based on a review of the literature taking into account factors such as operative failure, complications and patient non-compliance. A populatio...

For the past 25 years, the WHO Programme for the Prevention of Blindness and Deafness has maintained a Global Data Bank on visual impairment with the purpose of storing the available epidemiological data on blindness and low vision. The Data Bank has now been updated to include studies conducted since the last update in 1994. An extensive literatur...

There is fortunately increasing international awareness of the problem of needless blindness from trachoma and enhanced international cooperation. This is exemplified by the World Health Organization Alliance for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma by 2020 (GET 2020), the World Health Assembly resolution 51.11, 1998, and the inclusion of tr...

A national survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of trachoma in Senegal between February and July 2000. The methodology consisted of a cross-sectional survey based on random sampling with two levels of stratification in five areas or area groups. A total of 12,328 children under 10 years of age and 8753 women over the age of 14 years wer...

A regional survey was carried out in Chad in 2000 and 2001 to estimate the prevalence and severity of trachoma. The main objectives were to describe the epidemiological pattern in terms of prevalence of inflammatory trachoma and blinding complications in two sub-samples of the population: children under 10 years of age and women over 14. Two strata...

A review of the available evidence for the associations between environmental sanitation and transmission of trachoma was undertaken with a view to identifying preventive interventions. The WHO Global Alliance for the Elimination of Trachoma by the Year 2020 (GET2020) has adopted the "SAFE" strategy, consisting of four components: Surgery, Antibiot...

Although trachoma has either decreased or disappeared in many Third World countries through socio economic development during the past forty years, it remains a major problem among the poorest communities, which is often ignored by decision-makers when setting priorities. Fortunately, recent developments will allow to overcome many of the past obst...