trachoma

American  

[truh-koh-muh] / trəˈkoʊ mə /

noun

Ophthalmology.

1. a chronic, contagious infection of the conjunctiva and cornea, characterized by the formation of granulations and scarring and caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.

---

trachoma British  

/ trəˈkəʊmə, trəˈkɒmətəs, -ˈkəʊ- /

noun

1. a chronic contagious disease of the eye characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea and the formation of scar tissue, caused by infection with the virus-like bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis

---

trachoma Scientific  

/ trə-kō′mə /

1. A contagious disease of the conjunctiva and cornea, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and characterized by granules of inflammatory tissue. It is a major cause of blindness in Asia and Africa.

---

Other Word Forms

• trachomatous adjective

Etymology

Origin of trachoma

1685–95; < Greek trā́chōma roughness, equivalent to trāch ( ýs ) rough + -ōma -oma

Example Sentences

He made eliminating Guinea worm one of the Carter Center’s priorities, along with five other preventable diseases: river blindness, trachoma, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis and malaria.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2023

He was already working in trachoma and Guinea worm and had been for many years all over Africa.

From Washington Post • May 20, 2019

Blinding trachoma is one of the so-called neglected tropical diseases, most of which affect very poor communities.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2018

About 6 million people are blind from trachoma, a disease caused by the lack of clean water combined with poor hygiene practices.

From Textbooks • Sep. 6, 2018

They avoided passengers who seemed to be suffering from trachoma or favus.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides