[Study of primary open-angle glaucoma at the Institute of Tropical African Ophthalmology, Mali]. / Etude du glaucome primitif a angle ouvert a l'institut d'Ophtalmologie Tropicale Africaine, Mali.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic open-angle glaucoma, also known as primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an anterior optic neuropathy, chronic and progressive evolution, characterized by perimeter alterations and pathological optic cup, usually with an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). Our study describes the epidemiological and clinical aspects of POAG in patients over 40 years old in the Institute of Tropical African Ophthalmology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a prospective and descriptive study lasting two months including 200 patients with POAG, with the presence of at least one of the following three signs: intraocular pressure> 21mm Hg, disc cupping cup/disc vertical ≥0.5 and a visual field alteration apart from all other causes. All glaucoma patients seen during the study period benefited from a complete eye examination. The studied variables were family history of glaucoma, age, IOP and pachymetry. RESULTS: The study included 200 patients aged over 40 years old, with an average age of 57.6 years. Males were most represented (63.5%) with a sex ratio of 1.74. The primary reason for ophthalmologic consultation was a decrease in visual acuity (55.9%) followed by headaches (23.1%). More than a quarter of patients (29.5%) had a family history of glaucoma, approximately 2/3 of the patients had a lower pachymeter than normal (63% of cases), hypertension (66.5%) and diabetes (15%). CONCLUSION: POAG, primarily characterised by previous medical conditions, namely hypertension and familial history of glaucoma, can lead to blindness if screening is delayed or if the treatment is badly delivered. Hence, the importance of prevention through screening and informing the population about the disease is necessary.

INTRODUCTION: Le glaucome chronique à angle ouvert ou glaucome primitif à angle ouvert (GPAO) est une neuropathie optique antérieure, d'évolution chronique et progressive, caractérisée par des altérations périmétriques et une excavation papillaire pathologique, avec généralement, une élévation de la pression intraoculaire (PIO). Notre étude a pour objet de décrire l'aspect épidémiologique et clinique du GPAO chez les patients de 40 ans et plus au CHU-IOTA. MATÉRIELS ET MÉTHODES: Il s'agissait d'une étude prospective de type descriptif de 2 mois, portant sur des patients ayant un GPAO et ayant au moins un des trois signes suivants l'hypertonie oculaire >21mmHg, l'excavation papillaire cup/disc vertical ≥0,5 et le champ visuel altéré. Tous les patients glaucomateux ayant consulté pendant la période d'étude ont bénéficié d'un examen ophtalmologique complet. Les variables étudiées étaient: l'âge, les antécédents familiaux de glaucome, d'hypertension artérielle, de diabète, la PIO et la pachymétrie. RÉSULTATS: L'étude a porté sur 200 patients âgés de 40 ans et plus avec un âge moyen de 57.6 ans, le sexe ration M/F était de 1,74 en faveur du sexe masculin qui était représenté par 63,5%. La baisse d'acuité visuelle était le principal motif de consultation ophtalmologique avec (55,9 %) suivi des céphalées (23,1 %). Plus d'un quart des patients (29,5 %) avaient des antécédents familiaux de glaucome, environ 2/3 des patients (63%) avaient une pachymétrie inferieure à la normale et. l'Hypertension artérielle (HBP) représentait 66,5 % des antécédents médicaux, suivi de diabète (15 %). CONCLUSION: Le GPAO est caractérisé principalement par des antécédents médicaux surtout l'hypertension et des antécédents familiaux de glaucome pouvant entraîner la cécité si le dépistage n'est pas précoce ou si un traitement est mal conduit. D'où l'intérêt d'une prévention par le dépistage et l'information de la population sur cette pathologie.

Trachoma among children in community surveys from four African countries and implications of using school surveys for evaluating prevalence.

BACKGROUND: School surveys provide a convenient platform to obtain large child cohorts from multiple communities and are widely used as a proxy to determine community prevalence of neglected tropical diseases. The purpose of this study was to compare trachoma prevalence between preschool- and school-aged children and children who attend and do not attend school. METHODS: We analysed data from community-based trachoma surveys conducted from 2008-2011 in Ethiopia, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. The surveys utilised a cross-sectional, randomised cluster design. Individual-level data on school attendance was collected. RESULTS: Overall, 75 864 children aged 1-15 years from 2100 communities were included in the analysis. The prevalence of trachomatous inflammation follicular (TF) among these children in surveyed districts was 19.1% (95% CI 17.9-20.2%) in Ethiopia, 6.2% (95% CI 5.4-6.9%) in Niger, 4.6% (95% CI 4.2-4.9%) in Mali and 4.2% (95% CI 3.5-4.9%) in Nigeria. Controlling for age, sex and clustering, the OR of TF for school-attendees compared to non-attendees was 0.64 (95% CI 0.56-0.73) in Ethiopia, 0.67 (95% CI 0.56-0.80) in Mali, 1.03 (95% CI 0.81-1.16) in Niger and 1.06, (95% CI 0.65-1.73) in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: Estimating the prevalence of trachoma through examination of only school-going children risks underestimating the true prevalence.

The effects of integration on financing and coverage of neglected tropical disease programs.

When the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) began to support national programs integrating their neglected tropical disease (NTD) program activities, the expected impact on individual disease-specific programs was unclear, particularly with respect to program financing and coverage. To assess this impact, data were collected by NTD program managers and their non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Uganda from 2 years prior and 2 years after their individual programs received funding for an integrated NTD program. Findings show that these countries experienced some increases in overall funding available for integrated NTD programs, an expansion of geographical coverage and of the number of persons treated, and the addition of treatments targeted at new diseases. What is not clear is whether these achievements can be sustained if there are decreases in external support in the future. Seeking increased government commitment or sustained external donor support should be a top priority.

Enhancing community knowledge and health behaviors to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali using radio messaging as a strategy.

The National Blindness Prevention Program in Mali has broadcast messages on the radio about trachoma as part of the country's trachoma elimination strategy since 2008. In 2011, a radio impact survey using multi-stage cluster sampling was conducted in the regions of Kayes and Segou to assess radio listening habits, coverage of the broadcasts, community knowledge and behavior specific to trachoma and facial cleanliness of children. Radio access and listening were high, with 60% of respondents having heard a message on the radio about trachoma. The majority of respondents knew about trachoma, its root causes, its impact on health and prevention measures. Additionally, 66% reported washing their children's faces more than or equal to twice/day and 94% reported latrine disposal of feces. A high percentage of persons who gave a positive response to knowledge and behavior questions reported hearing the trachoma messages on the radio with 60% reporting that the radio is where they learned about trachoma. There was no significant difference in facial cleanliness when comparing children whose primary caregiver had/had not heard the trachoma messages. Next steps include revising the current messages to include more focused behavior change messaging and to engage in a more robust use of community radios.

Implementing preventive chemotherapy through an integrated National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program in Mali.

BACKGROUND: Mali is endemic for all five targeted major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). As one of the five 'fast-track' countries supported with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds, Mali started to integrate the activities of existing disease-specific national control programs on these diseases in 2007. The ultimate objectives are to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma as public health problems and to reduce morbidity caused by schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis through regular treatment to eligible populations, and the specific objectives were to achieve 80% program coverage and 100% geographical coverage yearly. The paper reports on the implementation of the integrated mass drug administration and the lessons learned. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The integrated control program was led by the Ministry of Health and coordinated by the national NTD Control Program. The drug packages were designed according to the disease endemicity in each district and delivered through various platforms to eligible populations involving the primary health care system. Treatment data were recorded and reported by the community drug distributors. After a pilot implementation of integrated drug delivery in three regions in 2007, the treatment for all five targeted NTDs was steadily scaled up to 100% geographical coverage by 2009, and program coverage has since been maintained at a high level: over 85% for lymphatic filariasis, over 90% for onchocerciasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, around 90% in school-age children for schistosomiasis, and 76-97% for trachoma. Around 10 million people have received one or more drug packages each year since 2009. No severe cases of adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Mali has scaled up the drug treatment to national coverage through integrated drug delivery involving the primary health care system. The successes and lessons learned in Mali can be valuable assets to other countries starting up their own integrated national NTD control programs.

Where do we go from here? Prevalence of trachoma three years after stopping mass distribution of antibiotics in the regions of Kayes and Koulikoro, Mali.

OBJECTIVES: A national survey in 1997 demonstrated that trachoma was endemic in Mali. Interventions to control trachoma including mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin were launched in the regions of Kayes and Koulikoro in 2003. MDA was discontinued after three annual rounds in 2006, and an impact survey conducted. We resurveyed all districts in Kayes and Koulikoro in 2009 to reassess trachoma prevalence and determine intervention objectives for the future. In this paper we present findings from both the 2006 and 2009 surveys. METHODS: Population-based cluster surveys were conducted in each of the nine districts in Koulikoro in 2006 and 2009, whilst in Kayes, four of seven districts in 2006 and all seven districts in 2009 were surveyed. Household members present were examined for clinical signs of trachoma. RESULTS: Overall, 29,179 persons from 2,528 compounds, in 260 clusters were examined in 2006 and 32,918 from 7,533 households in 320 clusters in 2009. The prevalence of TF in children aged 1-9 years in Kayes and Koulikoro was 3.9% (95%CI 2.9-5.0%, range by district 1.2-5.4%) and 2.7% (95%CI 2.3-3.1%, range by district 0.1-5.0%) respectively in 2006. In 2009 TF prevalence was 7.26% (95%CI 6.2-8.2%, range by district 2.5-15.4%) in Kayes and 8.19% (95%CI 7.3-9.1%, range by district 1.7-17.2%) in Koulikoro among children of the same age group. TT in adults 15 years of age and older was 2.37% (95%CI 1.66-3.07%, range by district 0.30-3.54%) in 2006 and 1.37% (95%CI 1.02-1.72%, range by district 0.37-1.87%) in 2009 in Kayes and 1.75% (95%CI 1.31-2.23%, range by district 1.06-2.49%) in 2006 and 1.08% (95%CI 0.86-1.30%, range by district 0.34-1.78%) in 2009 in Koulikoro. CONCLUSIONS: Using WHO guidelines for decision making, four districts, Bafoulabe in Kayes Region; and Banamba, Kolokani and Koulikoro in Koulikoro Region, still meet criteria for district-wide implementation of the full SAFE strategy as TF in children exceeds 10%. A community-by-community approach to trachoma control may now be required in the other twelve districts. Trichiasis surgery provision remains a need in all districts and should be enhanced in six districts in Kayes and five in Koulikoro where the prevalence exceeded 1.0% in adults. Since 1997 great progress has been observed in the fight against blinding trachoma; however, greater effort is required to meet the elimination target of 2015.