Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches
Tungiasis is a tropical skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. It inflicts misery upon tens of millions of people, mostly children, across Central and South America and sub-Saharan Africa, and yet there is no globally accepted roadmap for its control. Here we review how research in th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-07-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/2/3/33 |
| _version_ | 1811277979980922880 |
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| author | Lynne Elson Katherine Wright Jennifer Swift Herman Feldmeier |
| author_facet | Lynne Elson Katherine Wright Jennifer Swift Herman Feldmeier |
| author_sort | Lynne Elson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tungiasis is a tropical skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. It inflicts misery upon tens of millions of people, mostly children, across Central and South America and sub-Saharan Africa, and yet there is no globally accepted roadmap for its control. Here we review how research in the last 15 years has developed control methods and report on new grassroots and digital mapping approaches. Treatment is now possible with a two-component dimethicone, used for the treatment of headlice in Europe, Asia and Canada, but not yet available in most tungiasis-endemic areas. Prevention is possible through the daily use of repellents based on coconut oil. A Kenyan coastal community has successfully controlled tungiasis using a neem and coconut oil mix produced locally to treat cases, combined with spraying floors with neem solution and distributing closed shoes. Development of affordable hard floor technology is underway, although not yet widely available, but is a priority to control off-host stages in the floors of homes. A new web-based digital mapping application will enable researchers and health officials to collaborate, share data and map the prevalence of tungiasis. We conclude that tungiasis can be controlled through a multi-disciplinary, One Health approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:26:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c6559f9a0864df789dd882672888d33 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2017-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c6559f9a0864df789dd882672888d332022-12-22T03:10:35ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662017-07-01233310.3390/tropicalmed2030033tropicalmed2030033Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global ApproachesLynne Elson0Katherine Wright1Jennifer Swift2Herman Feldmeier3Dabaso Tujengane CBO, Watamu 80202, KenyaSpatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089, USASpatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089, USAInstitute of Microbiology and Hygiene, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité University Medicine, 12203 Berlin, GermanyTungiasis is a tropical skin disease caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans. It inflicts misery upon tens of millions of people, mostly children, across Central and South America and sub-Saharan Africa, and yet there is no globally accepted roadmap for its control. Here we review how research in the last 15 years has developed control methods and report on new grassroots and digital mapping approaches. Treatment is now possible with a two-component dimethicone, used for the treatment of headlice in Europe, Asia and Canada, but not yet available in most tungiasis-endemic areas. Prevention is possible through the daily use of repellents based on coconut oil. A Kenyan coastal community has successfully controlled tungiasis using a neem and coconut oil mix produced locally to treat cases, combined with spraying floors with neem solution and distributing closed shoes. Development of affordable hard floor technology is underway, although not yet widely available, but is a priority to control off-host stages in the floors of homes. A new web-based digital mapping application will enable researchers and health officials to collaborate, share data and map the prevalence of tungiasis. We conclude that tungiasis can be controlled through a multi-disciplinary, One Health approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/2/3/33tungiasisTunga penetransjiggersneglected tropical diseasedimethiconeneemweb GISelibraryEsrigeographic information science |
| spellingShingle | Lynne Elson Katherine Wright Jennifer Swift Herman Feldmeier Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease tungiasis Tunga penetrans jiggers neglected tropical disease dimethicone neem web GIS elibrary Esri geographic information science |
| title | Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches |
| title_full | Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches |
| title_fullStr | Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches |
| title_short | Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches |
| title_sort | control of tungiasis in absence of a roadmap grassroots and global approaches |
| topic | tungiasis Tunga penetrans jiggers neglected tropical disease dimethicone neem web GIS elibrary Esri geographic information science |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/2/3/33 |
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