Tungiasis, a Nuisance to the Marginalized Population of Developing Countries

Abstract

Lack of resources or because of negligence, providing high-quality health care remains unattainable in many developing countries. This may be because of the lack of interventions or planning to reduce health care problems. Parasitic diseases are markers of poverty. Tungiasis is not an exception. Tungiasis is a neglected disease that is of high prevalence in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, and many other Sub-Saharan countries, Trinidard, Tobago, and Brazil.  This article is written by referring to different research articles and besides, the author's research experience also contributes much to enrich the topic. Prior ethic sanctions were obtained from Jimma University, Ethiopia for conducting the studies. Photos were taken after getting written consent from the studied subjects. Tungiasis is an inflammatory skin disease caused by the infection of a female parasite, Tunga penetrans. The infections result in a lesion at the site of infection followed by inflammation, pain, and severe itching.  This infection is characterized by a black dot around a swollen reddish area with a white hallow around. The hypertrophy of the parasite results in the desquamation of skin epithelium. Removal of the parasite using thorns or unsterile needles may result in secondary infections. Different studies revealed that Ethiopia is an endemic area of this disease. Tungiasis is a zoonotic disease and in different countries, the reservoir varies. In Ethiopia, different studies revealed that sheep is the most favorite animal reservoir.