Monday 1 November 2010

Tungiasis (Causative Agent - Tunga penetrans) Clinical Image


Tungiasis General Comments:
  • Other names - Nigua, Pio and bicho de pie, Pique.
  • Inflammatory skin disease caused by infection of the female ectoparasitic Tunga penetrans flea (aka chigoe flea, jigger, nigua, sand flea).
  • Tunga penetrans is the smallest flea in the world.
Clinical Features:
  • Produces skin inflammation, severe pain, itching, & a lesion at the site of infection.
  • The appearance is of a black dot at the center of a swollen red lesion, with a surrounding whitish halo.
  • Desquamation of the skin is seen, particularly as the flea becomes larger.
Epidemiology:
  • Seen in tropical parts of Africa, Caribbean, Central & South America, & India.
  • Tungiasis is present in around 88 countries.
  • Prevalence of the disease approaches 50% in some poor highly endemic communities such as found in Brazil, Nigeria, Trinidad & Tobago.
Management:
  • Mostly through surgical extraction of the flea followed by the topical application of an antibiotic preparation.
  • No drug that has been shown to be effective against embedded fleas.
  • If no treatment is undertaken, the embedded fleas will die within 5 weeks & then will naturally be sloughed off with skin shedding.
Image: Tungiasis - with flea being removed from foot.
Image Source: by Adele Booysen on flickr (cc)
Tags: Antibiotics - Brazil - Chigoe Flea - Flea - Jigger - Nigeria - Surgery - Trinidad - Tobago - Topical Antibiotics - Tunga penetrans - Tungiasis
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