Tungiasis: a case report and review of the literature

• Main Authors: Chieh-Wen Chen, Haw-Yueh Thong, Shiou-Hwa Jee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2011-03-01
• Series: Dermatologica Sinica
• Subjects: Tungiasis
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S102781171100005X

Tungiasis is a cutaneous parasitic infection caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. This infection is endemic to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa and is more prevalent in resource-poor communities. Increased air travel, emigration from, and immigration to these countries can lead to the import of T. penetrans to travelers’ hometowns. In recent times, dermatologists have encountered many such tropical cutaneous infections, and they should promptly diagnose the condition to prevent complications. We report a case of tungiasis imported from Brazil and review the related literature.