Tungiasis is an inflammatory skin disease caused by infection with the female ectoparasitic Tunga penetrans (also known as chigoe flea, jigger, nigua or sand flea), found in the tropical parts of Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and India.
In this picture –
(b) – The diagnosis of tungiasis was confirmed by dermoscopy. The peripheral ring (green lines) corresponds to the abdomen of the flea, the central circle (red lines) to the chitin and the blue–black blotches (blue lines) to haematin in the gastrointestinal tract. Whitish oval structures (arrow) and silver dendritic fibres (arrowhead) correlate to the eggs and the rear air holes.
(c) – Excision revealed fragments of the body and eggs of Tunga penetrans
(d) – The egg of Tunga penetrans
The outcome was favourable with no additional treatment needed.
