Tungiasis in the Sanumás Amerindians in the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil: Prevalence, Intensity and Morbidity

Background: Tungiasis is a disease associated with extreme poverty. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tungiasis in six different settlements of the Sanumás indigenous community in a remote area in the Auaris region, Yanomami territory, Brazil.

Methods: We conducted an observational study to detect clinical and epidemiological factors associated with tungiasis using a cross-sectional strategy and multivariate logistic regression. Soil analysis was performed by visual and microscopic methods.

Results: We examined 555 persons, 45 of whom had active tungiasis; 18 cases were classified as mild, 16 as moderate and 11 as severe. The disease was significantly more prevalent in children than in adults (odds ratio (OR) 15.77; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.34-67.91; < 0.001). Soil infestation was significantly related to the occurrence of human tungiasis (OR = 12.29; 95% CI = 3.75-45.88). The sex and GPS location of the houses were not related to the occurrence of tungiasis.

Conclusions: We conclude that tungiasis is an important problem in the Sanumás community, especially for children. We suggest that interruption of the off-host transmission cycle, together with regular treatment [human and animal interventions], must be prioritized to achieve control of tungiasis in indigenous populations.

Citing Articles

The Effectiveness of Topical Dimethicone Together with a One Health Approach for the Control of Tungiasis in the Sanumás Communities, Yanomami Territory, Amazon Rainforest: A Real-World Study.

Santana Y, Andrade D, Barroso D, Silva A, Oliveira L, Timbo R Trop Med Infect Dis. 2023; 8(11).

PMID: 37999608 PMC: 10674387. DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8110489.

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