Tropical Doctor > Volume 38, Number 4 > Pp. 226-227

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Pigs are the most important animal reservoir for Tunga penetrans (jigger flea) in rural Nigeria

Uade S Ugbomoiko MSc PhD   ^*   Liana Ariza MPH      Jorg Heukelbach MD PhD     

^* Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria; Post-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará; Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil; School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Correspondence to: Professor J Heukelbach, Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Rua Prof. Costa Mendes 1608, 5 andar, Fortaleza CE 60430-140, Brazil Email: heukelbach{at}web.de

We examined the domestic animals and rodents in a community in rural Nigeria. Of the 133 animals examined, 29 (21.8%) were infested, the highest prevalence of infestation and highest parasite load was found in the pigs (prevalence 54.8%, median = nine embedded parasites), followed by dogs (45.5%; median = 4), Rattus rattus (29.4%; median = 2) and Mus minutoides (15.4%; median = 1.5). Of all the tungiasis lesions identified 83% were found in pigs. Our data confirm that tungiasis is a zoonotic disease, and that pigs are its most important animal reservoir in this endemic community.

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