Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda
Tungiasis is an important but highly neglected cause of morbidity in resource-poor communities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Data upon which implementation of control measures can be based are scarce. Before piloting an integrated tungiasis control program in three parishes of Napak distr...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/8/2/111 |
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| author | Francis Mutebi Hannah McNeilly Marlene Thielecke Felix Reichert Susanne Wiese George Mukone Hermann Feldmeier |
| author_facet | Francis Mutebi Hannah McNeilly Marlene Thielecke Felix Reichert Susanne Wiese George Mukone Hermann Feldmeier |
| author_sort | Francis Mutebi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tungiasis is an important but highly neglected cause of morbidity in resource-poor communities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Data upon which implementation of control measures can be based are scarce. Before piloting an integrated tungiasis control program in three parishes of Napak district, Uganda, a cross-sectional survey involving the systematic examination of humans and domestic mammals was implemented to establish the occurrence patterns of tungiasis. The study population was 5482 residents, of which 4035 (73.6%) participated in the study. The prevalence of tungiasis in humans was 62.8% (95% CI: 61.3–64.3%), with slightly more males than females affected (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Age-specific prevalence and intensity of human tungiasis followed an S-curve pattern, with children of 5–14 years and the elderly (≥60 years) being the most affected. Half of all lesions (50%) had been manipulated by sharp objects. The prevalence of tungiasis in animals was lower (14.2%, 95% CI: 10.9–18.0) than that of humans (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Animal tungiasis occurred in decreasing order of frequency in pigs (80%), dogs (24%), goats (16.3%), cats (8.1%) and sheep (4.9%). In conclusion, human tungiasis was highly prevalent but animal infections were comparatively few in the study area. Nevertheless, effective control measures should be based on One Health principles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:02:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1130a42c6f804e918b451f89f9818df3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:02:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-1130a42c6f804e918b451f89f9818df32023-11-16T23:40:04ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662023-02-018211110.3390/tropicalmed8020111Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern UgandaFrancis Mutebi0Hannah McNeilly1Marlene Thielecke2Felix Reichert3Susanne Wiese4George Mukone5Hermann Feldmeier6School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7062, UgandaEdinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UKCharité Center for Global Health, Institute of International Health, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, GermanyInnovations for Tropical Disease Elimination (IFOTRODE), Kampala P.O. Box 24461, UgandaInstitute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, GermanyTungiasis is an important but highly neglected cause of morbidity in resource-poor communities in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. Data upon which implementation of control measures can be based are scarce. Before piloting an integrated tungiasis control program in three parishes of Napak district, Uganda, a cross-sectional survey involving the systematic examination of humans and domestic mammals was implemented to establish the occurrence patterns of tungiasis. The study population was 5482 residents, of which 4035 (73.6%) participated in the study. The prevalence of tungiasis in humans was 62.8% (95% CI: 61.3–64.3%), with slightly more males than females affected (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Age-specific prevalence and intensity of human tungiasis followed an S-curve pattern, with children of 5–14 years and the elderly (≥60 years) being the most affected. Half of all lesions (50%) had been manipulated by sharp objects. The prevalence of tungiasis in animals was lower (14.2%, 95% CI: 10.9–18.0) than that of humans (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Animal tungiasis occurred in decreasing order of frequency in pigs (80%), dogs (24%), goats (16.3%), cats (8.1%) and sheep (4.9%). In conclusion, human tungiasis was highly prevalent but animal infections were comparatively few in the study area. Nevertheless, effective control measures should be based on One Health principles.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/8/2/111tungiasisepidemiologycontrolpopulationUganda |
| spellingShingle | Francis Mutebi Hannah McNeilly Marlene Thielecke Felix Reichert Susanne Wiese George Mukone Hermann Feldmeier Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease tungiasis epidemiology control population Uganda |
| title | Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda |
| title_full | Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda |
| title_short | Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda |
| title_sort | prevalence and infection intensity of human and animal tungiasis in napak district karamoja northeastern uganda |
| topic | tungiasis epidemiology control population Uganda |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/8/2/111 |
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