High intensity of Tunga penetrans infection causing severe disease among pigs in Busoga, South Eastern Uganda

Francis Mutebi,Charles Waiswa,Hermann Feldmeier,Norbert Mencke,Georg Von Samson-Himmelstjerna,Jürgen Krücken,Wilfred Eneku

doi:10.1186/s12917-017-1127-z

Abstract

BackgroundTowards the improvement of stakeholders’ awareness of animal tungiasis, we report 10 unusual severe clinical cases of pig tungiasis which were associated with very high infection intensities of T. penetrans in an endemic area.ResultsMorbidity of ten pigs with high sand flea intensities detected during high transmission seasons in an endemic area in Busoga sub region, Uganda is described in detail. The cases of pigs presented with a very high number of embedded sand fleas (median = 276, range = 141–838). Acute manifestations due to severe tungiasis included ulcerations (n = 10), abscess formation (n = 6) and lameness (n = 9). Chronic morphopathological presentations were overgrowth of claws (n = 5), lateral deviation of dew claws (n = 6), detachment (n = 5) or loss of dew claws (n = 1). Treatment of severe cases with a topical insecticidal aerosol containing chlorfenvinphos, dichlorvos and gentian violet resolved acute morbidity and facilitated healing by re-epithelialisation.ConclusionsThe presentations of tungiasis highlighted in this report show that high intensities of embedded T. penetrans can cause a severe clinical disease in pigs. Effective tungiasis preventive measures and early diagnosis for treatment could be crucial to minimize its effects on animal health.

Highlights

Towards the improvement of stakeholders’ awareness of animal tungiasis, we report 10 unusual severe clinical cases of pig tungiasis which were associated with very high infection intensities of T. penetrans in an endemic area
Since the intensity of embedded sand fleas strongly correlates with the severity of clinical tungiasis [9], only pigs with over 100 embedded sand fleas are presented here to demonstrate the occurrence and clinical features of severe pig tungiasis caused by T. penetrans
Management, parasitological and clinical characteristics of the ten pigs with severe tungiasis The pigs came from two villages (Masolya and Busindha) with a high prevalence of human and animal tungiasis and were identified in five households in which at least one human being was infected by tungiasis

Summary

Introduction

Towards the improvement of stakeholders’ awareness of animal tungiasis, we report 10 unusual severe clinical cases of pig tungiasis which were associated with very high infection intensities of T. penetrans in an endemic area. A zoonotic parasitic dermatosis of humans and a wide range of domestic and wild mammals, is caused by the female penetrating sand flea, Tunga penetrans. It is endemic in Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa with a patchy distribution; mostly occurring in poor communities and often causing severe morbidity in both human and animals [1]. Pigs have been identified as the most important animal reservoirs of T. penetrans in sub-Saharan Africa They suffer from high parasite loads and severe morbidity [3, 4]. The accruing losses may hamper economic development of impoverished communities located in endemic areas

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