Prevalence du trachome dans les zones de sante de popokabaka et kasongolunda dans la province du kwango

Abstract

Trachoma is a major public Health problem worldwide. Africa is the continent most affected, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is confronted with ocular complications due to this pathology. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of trachoma in two health zones in South West DRC. A trachoma prevalence survey was carried out in February 2023 in the Popokabaka and Kasongolunda health zones in Kwango province, DRC. A sample of 20 villages was selected by cluster sampling proportional to size. In the households selected in each village, all persons aged 1 to 9 years, as well as those aged 15 years and over, were examined according to the simplified WHO classification system. The prevalence of follicular trachoma in children aged 1 to 9 was 8.9%, and that of trachomatous trichiasis in subjects aged 15 and over 0.1%. This prevalence is high and exceeds the WHO critical threshold (5%). Appropriate interventions in the communities concerned are needed to enable the Ministry of Health to achieve the target of eliminating trachoma by 2030.