High attack rate of Tunga penetrans (Linnaeus 1758) infestation in an impoverished Brazilian community

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 98; no. 7; pp. 431 - 434
• Main Authors: Heukelbach, J, Franck, S, Feldmeier, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2004; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Ectoparasitic Infestations - epidemiology; Ectoparasitic Infestations - transmission; Endemic Diseases - statistics & numerical data; Human parasitic diseases due to arthropods; Humans; Infectious diseases; Jigger; Medical sciences; Parasitic diseases; Poverty Areas; Risk Factors; Siphonaptera; Tunga penetrans; Tungiasis; South America; Brazil; America; Brazil; Jigger; Tunga penetrans; Tungiasis; Epidemic; Human; Insecta; Parasitosis; Infection; Arthropoda; Siphonaptera; Tropical medicine; Invertebrata; Pulicidae
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2003.12.004

Tungiasis (jigger) is endemic in many impoverished communities in many parts of Brazil. Forty-seven individuals entering an endemic area were followed up for a period of six weeks and regularly examined for the presence of newly embedded sand fleas. At the end of the third week, the attack rate of
Tunga penetrans infestation had already approached 100%.