Trachoma is an infectious disease of the eye caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The condition has a number of clinical manifestations that are the consequence of current or past infection. Acute infection and associated clinical signs, usually indicated by trachomatous inflammation - follicular (TF), are most common in children. Over time, repeated infection and associated inflammation can cause scarring, visual impairment and potential blindness.
Current efforts to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem worldwide rely on the SAFE strategy: a comprehensive package of interventions to reduce transmission and disease sequelae. To reach the goal of elimination by 2020, supporting partners must have easy access to updated maps in order to identify areas where additional data collection and interventions are required. A move toward fine-scale mapping may become increasingly important in understanding the spatial epidemiology of disease foci as overall prevalence is reduced and infection becomes more focal.