Control of Tungiasis in Absence of a Roadmap: Grassroots and Global Approaches

Elson, Lynne; Wright, Katherine; Swift, Jennifer; Feldmeier, Herman

doi:10.3390/tropicalmed2030033

Cited by 27 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…These data include the densities of chickens [ 110 ], goats [ 24 ], and pigs [ 110 ]. Domestic animals serving as reservoirs for T. penetrans are numerous and include cats, dogs, chickens, goats, pigs, cattle, monkeys, and rats [ 7 , 15 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Socioeconomic and geographic factors, like with so many NTDs, are paramount to the persistence of these diseases. Tungiasis is highly prevalent among people living in extreme poverty in Latin America and SSA [ 15 , 18 ]. Epidemiological hotspots develop through the combination of pervasive poverty, behavioral attributes, and environmental risk factors [ 25 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Severe infestations can lead to the development of fissures, disfigurement, amputation, immobilization, and chronic lymphedema, as well as secondary infections like septicemia, tetanus, and toxic shock syndrome [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Individuals suffering from secondary medical conditions are at an increased risk of developing life-threatening complications [ 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tungiasis is a disease of poverty that causes significant morbidity and mortality in children, the disabled, and the elderly [ 19 ]. The utilization of sharp instruments like needles or pins and even thorns to extract the fleas has been documented [ 15 , 19 ]. This practice raises the risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other blood-borne pathogens like Hepatitis B and C [ 18 , 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mapping the Geographic Distribution of Tungiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa

Deka

2020

TropicalMed

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The geographic distribution of tungiasis is poorly understood, despite the frequent occurrence of the disease in marginalized populations of low socioeconomic status. To date, little work is available to define the geography of this neglected tropical disease (NTD). This exploratory study incorporated geostatistical modeling to map the suitability for tungiasis transmission in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In SSA, environmental suitability is predicted in 44 countries, including Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Cote de Ivoire, Mali, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Gabon, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and South Africa. In total, an estimated 668 million people live in suitable areas, 46% (304 million) of which reside in East Africa. These evidence-based maps provide vital evidence of the potential geographic extent of SSA. They will help to guide disease control programs, inform policymakers, and raise awareness at the global level. Likewise, these results will hopefully provide decisionmakers with the pertinent information necessary to lessen morbidity and mortality in communities located in environmentally suitable areas.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mapping the Geographic Distribution of Tungiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa

Deka

2020

TropicalMed

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“…The condition may affect any person, including a non‐native traveler, who walks barefoot in endemic regions. However, the disease burden is greatest in persons living in endemic areas that cannot afford regular use of closed‐toe shoes . In Brazil, tungiasis incidence has been shown to peak in the dry season; seasonality in Africa has not been established.…”

Section: Climate Change and Infectious Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of climate change on human health in Africa, a dermatologic perspective: a report from the International Society of Dermatology Climate Change Committee

et al. 2020

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Throughout much of the African continent, healthcare systems are already strained in their efforts to meet the needs of a growing population using limited resources. Climate change threatens to undermine many of the public health gains that have been made in this region in the last several decades via multiple mechanisms, including malnutrition secondary to drought-induced food insecurity, mass human displacement from newly uninhabitable areas, exacerbation of environmentally sensitive chronic diseases, and enhanced viability of pathogenic microbes and their vectors. We reviewed the literature describing the various direct and indirect effects of climate change on diseases with cutaneous manifestations in Africa. We included non-communicable diseases such as malignancies (non-melanoma skin cancers), inflammatory dermatoses (i.e. photosensitive dermatoses, atopic dermatitis), and trauma (skin injury), as well as communicable diseases and neglected tropical diseases. Physicians should be aware of the ways in which climate change threatens human health in low-and middle-income countries in general, and particularly in countries throughout Africa, the world's lowest-income and second most populous continent.The African continent has the lowest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and accounts for less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 2 In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where the socioeconomic conditions are strongly linked to the climatic conditions, loss of healthy life years as a result of climate change is predicted to be up to 500 times greater than in Europe. 3 By 2020, 85-250 million Africans are projected to experience increased water stress as a result of climate change, and crop yields from rain-fed agriculture may decrease by up to 50%. 4 Since 30-40% of Africa's GDP and about three quarters of its population rely on agricultural production as a primary income source, the economic consequences of this could be devastating. 2Given that most of the continent is in the tropical climate zone, sea level rise is expected to be higher than average, and there are at least three African coastal cities with populations over 8 million that may be severely affected. 2 According to the World Bank, as of 2019, the combination of erosion, flooding, and pollution have led to losses of over 3.8 billion United States Dollars (USD) annually, or 5.3% of the combined GDP of Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo, four countries along the West African Coast. 5 African nations will be forced to continue their development under these constraints, and at a high cost; the United Nations (U.N.) estimates climate change adaptation costs to Africa of ª

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