UPSC Express

• It is a chronic infective eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis which is transmitted through contact with eye and nose discharge of infected people, particularly young children who are most vulnerable to the infection.

• It is also spread by flies which come in contact with the infected person and is most common under poor environment, low personal hygiene and inadequate access to water.

• It is one of the causes of the avoidable blindness and one of the 18 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).

• During 1950s, India was a hyperendemic to Trachoma. About 50%-80% children from North-west India were affected by it.