Trachoma

Trachoma, also called granular conjunctivitis, Egyptian ophthalmia, and blinding trachoma, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The infection causes a roughening of the inner surface of the eyelids. This roughening can lead to pain in the eyes, breakdown of the outer surface or cornea of the eyes, and possibly blindness. Untreated, repeated trachoma infections can result in a form of permanent blindness when the eyelids turn inward.

The bacteria that cause the disease can be spread by both direct and indirect contact with an affected person's eyes or nose. Indirect contact includes through clothing or flies that have come into contact with an affected person's eyes or nose. Children spread the disease more often than adults. Poor sanitation, crowded living conditions, and not enough clean water and toilets also increase spread.

Efforts to prevent the disease include improving access to clean water and decreasing the number of people infected by treatment with antibiotics. This may include treating, all at once, whole groups of people in whom the disease is known to be common. Washing by itself is not enough to prevent disease but may be useful with other measures. Treatment options include oral azithromycin and topical tetracycline. Azithromycin is preferred because it can be used as a single oral dose. After scarring of the eyelid has occurred, surgery may be required to correct the position of the eyelashes and prevent blindness.

Ypsolopha

Ypsolopha is a genus of moth of the Ypsolophidae family. It is the type genus of the Ypsolophidae family and comprises over 120 described species (about 95% of the known world diversity of the Ypsolophidae family).

Distribution

Most Ypsolopha species have been recorded from the Holarctic temperate region.

Description

Ypsolopha species are variable in shape and color and no exclusive superficial features have been established for the group. In contrast, the genitalia of both sexes are remarkably homogeneous.

Biology

Adults are nocturnal or rarely diurnal. Their resting postures are various, but they often have the head down and the lower body up. Ypsolopha acuminata mimics a small broken branch at rest. The larvae usually live in open webs on the leaves of various, primarily woody, plants and mostly feed on a limited range of host plants. They are active primarily at night and have two defensive behaviors that involve wiggling and jumping.

Selected species