Trachoma: the beginning of the end?

Blinding trachoma, one of the oldest known infectious eye diseases, may be facing its end. Formerly the world's leading cause of preventable blindness, trachoma has brought physical suffering and economic devastation to tens of millions of people, mostly women and children in poorer countries. As a result of development and targeted interventions, however, nine countries with trachoma have already reported achieving elimination targets, and more than 80 per cent of the burden of active trachoma is now concentrated in 14 countries.