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The diagnosis of trachoma can be easily established in the typical case, by using the specific clinical criteria well summarized recently by Thygeson 1 and by finding Halberstaedter-Prowazek inclusion bodies in a smear of epithelial scrapings. There are many clinically doubtful cases, however, in which the diagnosis is difficult to make. This is particularly true when the question of a recurrence arises in a case of healed trachoma with residual scarring. It has also been found that in surveys made to reveal the true incidence of trachoma in a population, or to study its treatment, the presence of nontrachomatous chronic follicular conjunctivitis can confuse the picture, particularly in the diagnosis of very early trachoma. 2 It is clear that improved methods are needed for detecting trachoma infection. A good laboratory method would be especially useful in those trachomatous populations that do not have the services of trained ophthalmologists. Other than |
