Tungiasis in schoolchildren in Criciúma, Santa Catarina State, South Brazil

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Otenia Rosalba Da Silva Damazio²  Marcos Vinicius Da Silva¹ 

[1],Universidade do Sul de Santa CatarinaTubarão SC ,Brazil

关键词: Tunga penetrans;    Tungiasis;    Zoonosis;    Parasitic skin disease;    Public health;    Brazil;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0036-46652009000200008

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Tungiasis is a common parasitic skin disease in Brazil, caused by the flea Tunga penetrans. We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the occurrence of infestation with T. penetrans in primary schoolchildren in Criciúma, Santa Catarina State (South Brazil). In total, 917 children (6-10 years) of 68 schools were included in the study (11% of target population). Physical examination was followed by residential visits of those infested, to assess housing conditions and to interview the children's guardians. Of the 917, 15 (1.6%) children were infested with the parasite. The prevalence was twice as high in females (10 children - 2.2%) as compared to males (five children - 1.1%), but due to the low number of infested individuals, the difference was statistically not significant (p = 0.18). The mean number of lesions found was 1.4 per child. One child presented bacterial superinfection. Of the 15 children infested, 10 (66.7%) studied in schools built on pyritiferous soil. The families of 12 children (79.9%) had been living in the area in which the study was conducted for less than eight years and were considered underprivileged families with the head of the household having a low education status. We conclude that in Criciúma tungiasis occurs in primary school children, but prevalence and parasite load are low.

【 授权许可】

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