Multiple species of bacteria may cause trachoma: Implications for treatment

In a study published in this week’s PLoS Medicine, researchers have found that more than one species of bacteria may be causing the infectious eye disease trachoma. Six million people – most of whom live in crowded and unhygienic conditions in the developing world – are blind because of the disease and many more are actively infected. The possibility that multiple strains of the Chlamydiceae family of bacteria are involved in trachoma would involve a re-evaluation of vaccines and treatment programmes.