Ocular Infection by Chlamydia trachomatis: Public Health Responses to Pathology

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Introduction and Significance

The global distribution of ocular trachoma in 2012. Countries and geographic areas endemic for blinding trachoma shown in dark red, and areas under surveillance by the World Health Organization shown in pink. Image courtesy of WHO 2013. [1].

By Lydia Wolf

The World Health Organization estimates ocular infection by the organism Chlamydia trachomatis to affect approximately 1.8 million people worldwide (WHO 2015). Repeated infection by the intracellular parasite, which typically begins during childhood, causes inflammation of the skin epithelium lining the inside of the eyelids called the conjunctiva. The chronic infection and inflammation of the conjunctiva causes the eyelashes of the upper lid to turn in and rub directly against the surface of the cornea. This rubbing against the cornea leads to scarring and, when left untreated by a trachiasis surgical procedure, ultimately leads to blindness…making it the leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide (Kuper, Solomon, Buchan, et al. 2003).

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Section 1

Diagram depicting the developmental cycle of Chlamydia trachomatis. The infectious elementary body is engulfed by the host cell and is released outside of the cell to infect surrounding epithelial cells after a biphasic developmental cycle. Image courtesy of Brunham and Rey-Ladino (2005). [2].

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Section 2

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Section 3

The clinical signs of ocular trachoma. Image courtesy of Hu, Holland and Burton, 2013. [3].

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Section 4

SAFE public health initiative for global ocular trachoma. Image courtesy of International Trachoma Initiative. [4].

References

Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2016, Kenyon College.