Risk factors for active trachoma in The Gambia

Summary Trachoma has been endemic in The Gambia for decades but national surveys indicate that the prevalence is falling. Risk factor data can help guide trachoma control efforts. This study investigated risk factors for active trachoma and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection in children aged below 10 years in two Gambian regions. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was only 0.3% (3/950) compared with 10.4% (311/2990) for active trachoma, therefore analyses were only performed for active trachoma. After adjustment, increased risk of trachoma was associated with being aged 1–2 years (odds ratio (OR) 2.20, 95% CI 1.07–4.52) and 3–5 years (OR 3.62, 95% CI 1.80–7.25) compared with