Doyne Lecture: trachoma, is it history?

Trachoma has been known since pre-Pharaonic times and this infectious cause of blindness is targeted by the World Health Organization (WHO) for elimination by 2020. During the 19th century, trachoma was a major political problem in European countries as an important cause of disability in both soldiers and among the urban poor in the slums created by the Industrial Revolution. Even 100 years ago, trachoma was a major problem worldwide. Trachoma has now been eliminated from most developed regions, but the disease still affects some 150 million people in 56 developing countries. This paper reviews our current understanding of trachoma and the key strategies for the elimination of trachoma as a major blinding disease.