DR MOHAMMED IRFAN SHEIKH about 6 years ago

Tungiasis

An otherwise healthy 10-year-old girl presented to the primary care clinic with a 10-day history of multiple itchy papules on the soles of her feet and on her toes. The lesions had black dots in the center and were painful. Two weeks earlier, the family had traveled to rural Brazil. During this time, the patient had played in a pigsty without wearing shoes. Sand fleas were removed from multiple lesions, and tungiasis was diagnosed. Tungiasis is a skin infestation caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans, an ectoparasite that is found throughout tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The patient had previously received all the recommended tetanus vaccinations. Treatment included flea removal and local wound care. After treatment, there was complete remission of the lesions, with no complications at follow-up.