Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

American Trypanosomiasis01:22

American Trypanosomiasis

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Trichomoniasis01:18

Trichomoniasis

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan parasite and the causative agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the United States. This extracellular parasite primarily colonizes the lower genitourinary tract in women—particularly the vagina—and in men, the urethra and prostate. Its structural and functional adaptations enable its survival, motility, and pathogenicity within the host environment.Structural Features and Host EntryT.
Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
Giardiasis01:12

Giardiasis

Giardiasis is a globally prevalent intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. lamblia or G. intestinalis). This flagellated protozoan is the most frequently identified intestinal parasite in the United States and worldwide. Transmission primarily occurs via the fecal-oral route, with infection arising from ingestion of water or food contaminated with cysts. Individuals in low-resource settings, international travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, daycare...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The complexity of the population dynamics of Triatoma brasiliensis in rural north-east Brazil indicated by genetic characterisation.

Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz·2026
Same author

Paracoccidioidomycosis in Brazil: 25-Year Nationwide Trends in Mortality, Hospitalisations and In-Hospital Deaths of a Neglected Systemic Mycosis.

Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH·2026
Same author

Individual and household factors associated with tungiasis in a marginalized population in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda.

Tropical medicine and health·2026
Same author

Persistent and Emerging High-Risk Clusters of Leprosy Detection in Brazil: A Nationwide Spatiotemporal Analysis, 2001-2023.

Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH·2026
Same author

Neglected Mycoses in Brazil: A Population-Based Study of Mortality and In-Hospital Mortality Over 25 Years.

Mycoses·2026
Same author

Veterinarians' knowledge and practices on animal Tungiasis in Bahia State, Northeast Brazil.

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model
08:20

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model

Published on: October 27, 2023

Tungiasis: more than an exotic nuisance.

Sabine Franck1, Hermann Feldmeier, Jörg Heukelbach

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Humanities and Health Sciences, Institute for International Health, Free University of Berlin, Fabeckstr. 60-62, Berlin, Germany.

Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
|February 13, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Tungiasis, a skin disease caused by the Tunga penetrans flea, affects travelers to endemic areas. Early diagnosis and flea extraction are crucial to prevent severe morbidity and secondary infections.

More Related Videos

Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus
10:35

Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus

Published on: May 31, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model
08:20

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model

Published on: October 27, 2023

Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus
10:35

Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus

Published on: May 31, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Parasitology
  • Travel Medicine

Background:

  • Tungiasis is a parasitic zoonotic skin disease caused by the sand flea, Tunga penetrans.
  • It commonly affects economically depressed communities in the Caribbean, South America, and Africa.
  • Travelers to endemic areas can also contract tungiasis, often presenting with fewer lesions than local populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review case reports of tungiasis in returned travelers.
  • To discuss the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the disease in this population.
  • To highlight the significance of tungiasis in the field of travel medicine.

Main Methods:

  • Review of case reports concerning tungiasis in travelers.
  • Analysis of historical, epidemiological, and clinical data.
  • Discussion of the ectoparasitosis within the context of travel medicine.

Main Results:

  • Tungiasis can cause significant morbidity, especially in endemic populations with numerous lesions.
  • Travelers typically present with fewer, isolated lesions.
  • The disease is often underestimated and considered more than an exotic nuisance.

Conclusions:

  • Tungiasis is a significant health problem in endemic regions.
  • Prompt diagnosis and treatment by dermatologists, including early flea extraction, are essential.
  • Preventing secondary infections is a key aspect of managing tungiasis.