Investigations on the biology, epidemiology, pathology, and control of Tunga penetrans in Brazil: VII. The importance of animal reservoirs for human infestation

Abstract

In Brazil tungiasis is endemic in many resource-poor communities, where various domestic and sylvatic animals act as reservoirs for this zoonosis. To determine the role of animal reservoirs in human tungiasis, a cross-sectional study was performed in a traditional fishing community in northeast Brazil. The human and the animal populations were examined for the presence of embedded sand fleas and the prevalence and the intensity of infestation were correlated. The overall prevalence of tungiasis in humans was 39% (95% CI 34-43%). Of six mammal species present in the village, only cats and dogs were found infested. The prevalence in these animals was 59% (95% CI 50-68%). In households, where infested pet animals were present, a higher percentage of household members had tungiasis (42% [95% CI 30-53%] versus 27% [20-33%], p=0.02), and the intensity of the infestation was higher (six lesions versus two lesions, p=0.01). The intensity of infestation in animals correlated with the intensity of infestation in humans (rho=0.3, p=0.02). Living in a household with an infested dog or cat led to a 1.6-fold (95% CI 1.1-2.3, p=0.015) increase in the odds for the presence of tungiasis in household members in the bivariate analysis and remained a significant risk factor in the multivariate regression analysis. The study shows that in this impoverished community tungiasis is highly prevalent in humans and domestic animals. In particular, it underlines the importance to include animals in control operation aiming at the reduction of disease occurrence in the human population.

Tungiasis infestation in Tanzania

“…Climatic conditions in our case were similar to these previous studies. In addition, people keep animals such as cattle, goats, pigs, dogs and cats that have been described as important animal reservoirs for T. penetrans [22][23][24].…”

Papular urticaria: A review of causal agents in Colombia

“…Ctenocephalides canis se conoce generalmente como la pulga del perro, pero también, puede atacar a animales salvajes, domésticos y a los seres humanos (31). Tunga penetrans causa una ectoparasitosis bastante frecuente en algunos países de Latinoamérica y el Caribe, que se propaga por la postura de huevos de la hembra en la piel de huéspedes infectados (34,35 Desde el punto de vista de la alergología, la pulga más estudiada ha sido C. felis. En estudios en perros se han identificado tres alérgenos de pulga (39).…”

Tungiasis: una rara ectoparasitosis. Caso clínico

“…Una vez terminada la ovoposición la hembra muere 1,5,[17][18][19] . Dada la longitud de su salto, esta ectoparasitosis afecta mayoritariamente las extremidades inferiores y en 95% de los casos los pies, pudiendo comprometer la región plantar, interdigital, periungueal y maleolar.…”