Publications

bacterial superinfection in human tungiasis.	tungiasis is caused by penetration of the female sand flea tunga penetrans into the epidermis of its host. it is endemic in many countries in latin america, the caribbean and sub-saharan africa. although superinfection is a common clinical observation, the frequency and the pattern of bacterial pathogens associated with tungiasis have never been investigated systematically. we conducted a prospective clinico-bacteriological study with patients living in a shantytown in fortaleza, capital of cear ...	2002	12100437
high prevalence of tungiasis in a poor neighbourhood in fortaleza, northeast brazil.	tungiasis has been reported to occur in many latin american, caribbean and african countries. however, epidemiological data are still very scanty and do not exist at all for brazil. to fill this gap, a cross-sectional study has been undertaken in a shantytown (favela) in fortaleza, ceará state, northeast brazil. all 327 households of a circumscribed sub-area were visited, and 1185 out of the 1460 household members were thoroughly examined for the presence of tungiasis. thirty-four% (95% ci: 30.9 ...	2002	12204399
investigations on the biology, epidemiology, pathology and control of tunga penetrans in brazil: i. natural history of tungiasis in man.	tungiasis is an important health problem in poor communities in brazil and is associated with severe morbidity, particularly in children. the causative agent, the female flea tunga penetrans, burrows into the skin of its host, where it develops, produces eggs and eventually dies. from the beginning of the penetration to the elimination of the carcass of the ectoparasite by skin repair mechanisms, the whole process takes 4-6 weeks. the present study is based on specimens from 86 patients, for som ...	2003	12756541
investigations on the biology, epidemiology, pathology and control of tunga penetrans in brazil. ii. prevalence, parasite load and topographic distribution of lesions in the population of a traditional fishing village.	tungiasis is hyperendemic in many poor communities in brazil and is associated with considerable morbidity. in order to understand the factors that determine the distribution of this ectoparasitosis in a rural community, an epidemiological study was carried out in a traditional fishing village in ceará state, north-eastern brazil. based on active case detection and voluntary participation, 91% of the population (belonging to 95% of all families) was examined. embedded fleas were looked for over ...	2003	12768415
severe tungiasis in underprivileged communities: case series from brazil.	tungiasis is caused by infestation with the sand flea (tunga penetrans). this ectoparasitosis is endemic in economically depressed communities in south american and african countries. tungiasis is usually considered an entomologic nuisance and does not receive much attention from healthcare professionals. during a study on tungiasis-related disease in an economically depressed area in fortaleza, northeast brazil, we identified 16 persons infested with an extremely high number of parasites. these ...	2003	12967492
investigations on the biology, epidemiology, pathology and control of tunga penetrans in brazil: iv. clinical and histopathology.	tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease caused by the sand flea tunga penetrans. this ectoparasitosis is endemic in south america, the caribbean and sub-saharan africa, where it is an important but neglected health problem in resource-poor communities. as part of a study of tungiasis-related morbidity in a typical slum in fortaleza, brazil, we identified 86 individuals with tungiasis. lesions were counted, classified according to the stage of development, and clinical pathology was documented. one ...	2004	15368123
seasonal variation of tungiasis in an endemic community.	tungiasis (caused by the sand flea tunga penetrans) is hyperendemic in many resource-poor communities in brazil. to understand transmission dynamics of this parasitic skin disease in a typical endemic area, a longitudinal study was carried out in a slum in fortaleza in northeastern brazil. in a door-to-door survey, the population of a randomly selected area (n = 1,460) was examined on four occasions for the presence of embedded sand fleas. prevalence rates were 33.6% in march (rainy season), 23. ...	2005	15741550
a plant-based repellent protects against tunga penetrans infestation and sand flea disease.	tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease prevalent in impoverished populations in the tropics and associated with considerable morbidity. treatment options are limited and prophylaxis has never been attempted. we assessed the effectiveness of a plant-based repellent to prevent infestation with tunga penetrans and sand flea disease in an urban squatter settlement in fortaleza, northeast brazil. two cohorts were formed. one cohort started with the intervention while another served as control. the pla ...	2006	17010927
[tungiasis: a neglected disease causing severe morbidity in a shantytown in fortaleza, state of ceará].	the parasitic skin disease tungiasis, caused by the jigger flea tunga penetrans, is endemic in low-income communities in brazil. in this study, inhabitants of a shantytown in fortaleza, northeastern brazil, who had an elevated parasite load, were identified. the number of lesions, localization, staging and associated diseases were recorded. the 142 individuals identified were living in extremely precarious housing conditions. a total of 3,445 lesions located on the feet were counted (median = 17 ...	2007	17486257
repetitive sequences in the its1 region of the ribosomal dna of tunga penetrans and other flea species (insecta, siphonaptera).	different tunga penetrans isolates from various hosts obtained from south america (fortaleza. brazil) have been studied by nucleotide sequence comparison of the first and the second internal transcribed spacer (its1, its2) of the ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rdna) and part of the mitochondrial 16s rdna. results show no significant host-dependent sequence differences. no indication for intraindividual and intraspecific polymorphisms could be detected. comparing the its1 spacer region of t. pe ...	2008	17952470
tungiasis-related knowledge and treatment practices in two endemic communities in northeast brazil.	tungiasis, caused by the sand flea tunga penetrans, is highly prevalent in many resource-poor communities in sub-saharan africa, latin america and the caribbean. studies on knowledge and treatment practices related to tungiasis in affected populations are virtually nonexistent. to fill this gap, we performed a study in two resource-poor communities in northeast brazil where this parasitic skin disease is highly prevalent.	2009	19762960