[Course of trachoma under treatment with 1% oxytetracycline ophthalmic solution]

In order to optimize the trachoma treatment duration, we carried out a prospective study to observe the disease course over a long period of treatment by a 1% oxytetracycline (chlorhydrate) suspension.

The study involved 50 children between 2 and 12 years living in three Malian villages. The existence of an active trachoma was clinically characterized by the presence of at least 5 follicles associated with a papillary hypertrophy of the upper tarsal conjunctiva. The treatment was administered daily 4 times a day, for two months. All patients were examined before being treated, then on the 15th, 30th and 60th day. The presence and the importance of the follicles, papillae and trachomatous scarring were scored. During treatment, no patient manifested a case of follicular score aggravation. The moderate cases reacted more rapidly than the severe ones. In most cases the reduction in the number of follicles became evident only after two weeks of treatment. On the other hand, the inflammatory hyperplasia diminished rapidly from the 15th day. The cicatricial score was constant and pre-existing scars were not aggravated. After treatment, 33 patients out of 50 (66%) could be considered cured.

The analysis of data suggests that a longer period of treatment would have led to a higher healing percentage. In fact, all forms of intense trachomatous inflammation, likely to cause blindness, diminished before the end of the control period.