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Review
. 2023 Feb 27;8(3):142.
doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8030142.

Treatment of Animal Tungiasis: What's New?

Katharine Costa Dos Santos  1 , Paula Elisa Brandão Guedes  1 , Jamille Bispo de Carvalho Teixeira  1 , Tatiani Vitor Harvey  2 , Renata Santiago Alberto Carlos  1
Affiliations
Review

Treatment of Animal Tungiasis: What's New?

Katharine Costa Dos Santos et al. Trop Med Infect Dis. .

Abstract

In tropical and subtropical countries, particularly in disadvantaged communities, tungiasis is a severe public health problem, which is often neglected by the authorities. The sand fleas Tunga penetrans, predominant in endemic areas, and Tunga trimamillata, whose cases in humans are less frequent, are the cause of this zoonosis. Domestic animals are potential reservoirs and disseminators of tungiasis, so controlling their infection would significantly advance the prevention of human cases. This literature review compiles the most recent studies and innovations in treating animal tungiasis. Studies of approaches to the treatment of animal tungiasis, as well as disease control and prevention, are described. Isoxazolines are highlighted as promising drugs to treat animal tungiasis, with high efficacy and pharmacological protection. The positive impacts of this discovery on public health are also discussed, since dogs are an essential risk factor for human tungiasis.

Keywords: animal tungiasis; control; drug; zoonosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Anteater with T. penetrans in an endemic community for tungiasis in Brazil. (A,B) Paws of an anteater with numerous viable lesions caused by T. penetrans. Photos by Institute for Research and Conservation of Anteaters in Brazil.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Animals infected with T. penetrans in an endemic community for tungiasis in Brazil. (A) Hind paws of a puppy with numerous viable lesions caused by T. penetrans. (B) Paw of a dog infected with several fleas, arrows demonstrating tungiasis lesions. (C) Cat paw with lesions compatible with viable tungiasis. Photos by Katharine Costa dos Santos.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship of environment, animals, and humans in a Brazilian community that is endemic for tungiasis. (A) Barefoot children playing on sandy soil next to a dog with tungiasis. (B) Barefoot child next to an infected dog. Photos by Katharine Costa dos Santos.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Complications of canine tungiasis. (A) Presence of myiasis in a lesion caused by T. penetrans in the paw of an infected dog. (B) Dog paw with tungiasis associated with secondary bacterial infection with necrotic tissue. (C) Dog paws with T. penetrans lesions showing suppuration and secondary infection. Photos by Katharine Costa dos Santos.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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