Population prevalence of trachoma in nine rural non-indigenous evaluation units of Brazil

Summary

To assess the contemporary prevalence of trachoma in Brazil’s non-indigenous population, surveys of those thought to be at greatest risk of disease were conducted.

The prevalence of follicular trachomatous inflammation (TF) was well below the target for elimination as a public health problem in all evaluation units. Because the evaluation units surveyed were selected to represent the highest-risk non-indigenous areas of the country, TF prevalence is unlikely to be ≥5% in non-indigenous populations elsewhere.

In one evaluation unit, the prevalence of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) was above the target threshold for elimination. Further investigation and possibly improvement in TT surgical provision are required in that evaluation unit.