[Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis in trachomatous Moroccan patients].

PURPOSE: Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from ocular specimens of subjects living in trachomatous area in south Morocco.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty ocular specimen of 60 subjects living in two provinces of a trachoma-endemic area (Errachidia and Ouarzazate) were tested by cells 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 isolation in children younger than 5 years. The intense inflammatory stage alone or associated with follicular stage was the most adequate for isolating Chlamydia trachomatis.

CONCLUSION

Reducing or even eradicating trachoma can be realised only through a continuous treatment strategy associated with a sanitary education aiming at the development of hygienic conditions especially among children living in trachomatous communities.