Mass antibiotic treatment and community protection in trachoma control programs.

Abstract

Azithromycin is highly effective against trachoma, but the practical difficulties of community-wide distribution often leave many individuals untreated. We demonstrate, after mass azithromycin treatment of a population in Ethiopia, an indirect protective effect that occurred among untreated children who resided in villages in which most individuals had been treated. Similarities with the indirect protection within a treated community (i.e., "herd protection") that has been observed in vaccination programs are discussed.

• Authors: Jaya D Chidambaram, Muluken Melese, Wondu Alemayehu, Elizabeth Yi, Tisha Prabriputaloong, David C Lee, Vicky Cevallos, Zhaoxia Zhou, John P Whitcher, Bruce D Gaynor, Thomas M Lietman
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 39 Issue 9 Pg. e95-7 (Nov 01 2004) ISSN: 1537-6591 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 15494901 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Azithromycin

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Azithromycin (therapeutic use)
• Child, Preschool
• Communicable Disease Control (methods)
• Ethiopia (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Infant
• Logistic Models
• Odds Ratio
• Trachoma (epidemiology, prevention & control)