ISOLATION OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS FROM T RACHOMATOUS MOROCCAIN SUBJECTS

Purpose Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from ocular specimens of su bjects living in trachomatous area in south Morocco. Methods One hundr ed and twenty ocular specimen of 60 subjects living in two provinces o f a trachomaendemic area (Errachidia and Ouarzazate) were rested by ce lls culture. The age range was 2 months to 85 years and the sex ratio was 1.06. Results The prevalence of positive cases was about 25% with a female predominance of 34% versus 16% for males. In our sample, 70% showed an active clinical trachoma. The most affected age ranges were children between 0 and 10 years old, With a very high frequency of iso lation in children younger than 5 years. The intense inflammatory stag e alone or associated with follicular stage was the most adequate for isolating Chlamydia trachomatis. Conclusion Reducing or even eradicati ng trachoma can be realised only through a continuous treatment strate gy associated with a sanitary education aiming at the development of h ygienic conditions especially among children living in trachomatous co mmunities.