TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and Infection Intensity of Human and Animal Tungiasis in Napak District, Karamoja, Northeastern Uganda
AU - Mutebi, Francis
AU - McNeilly, Hannah
AU - Thielecke, Marlene
AU - Reichert, Felix
AU - Wiese, Susanne
AU - Feldmeier, Hermann
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was conducted within the framework of a humanitarian project aimed at eliminating tungiasis from highly endemic communities in the Napak district. The project was supported by the Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation, a philanthropic institution in Bad Homburg, Germany (Award number: 2019_HA.116), and German Doctors, a medical NGO. The sponsors had no role in the design of the study and data analysis. The data presented here were collected at the beginning of the project to establish the existing situation before a systematic treatment of tungiasis using dimeticone was implemented.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/2/11
Y1 - 2023/2/11
N2 - 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 (p = 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 (p < 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.
AB - 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 (p = 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 (p < 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.
UR - https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC9963877
U2 - 10.3390/tropicalmed8020111
DO - 10.3390/tropicalmed8020111
M3 - Article
C2 - 36828527
SN - 2414-6366
VL - 8
JO - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
IS - 2
M1 - 111
ER -