Risk factors for trachoma: 6-year follow-up of children aged 1 and 2 years

The authors investigated the long-term stability of risk factors in predict ing the presence of active trachoma and severe inflammatory trachoma in 176 children in Kongwa, Tanzania, who were aged 1 and 2 years in 1989 and were available for follow-up in 1995. Familial cattle ownership, living more th an 2 hours away from a water source, and facial cleanliness at both time po ints were associated with the presence of active trachoma at both time poin ts (odds ratio (OR) = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.15, 5.79; OR = 3.07, 95% Cl. 1.23, 7.64; and OR = 0.52, 95% Cl: 0.26, 1.03, respectively). An association of familial cattle ownership with facial cleanliness and wa ter accessibility was observed. Having a clean face at both time points was associated with lower odds of active trachoma at both time points for chil dren in non-cattle-herding families (OR = 0.40, 95% Cl: 0.18, 0.87). Living more than 2 hours away from a water source at both time points increased t he odds of active trachoma at both time points in children of cattle-herdin g families (OR = 8.00, 95% Cl: 1.99, 32.10). Noticeably, severe inflammator y trachoma at baseline predicted mortality in children from villages in whi ch trachoma was less common (OR = 3.75, 95% Cl: 1.09, 12.98). The results s uggest that risk factor reduction could diminish persistent disease.