Spatial distribution of off-host stages of 'Tunga penetrans' in the soil within the home range of nine infected dogs in an endemic tourist area in Brazil

• Published in: Tropical medicine and infectious disease Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: de Jesus, Anderson Vieira, Sevá, Anaiá da Paixão, Guedes, Paula Elisa Brandão, Dos Santos, Katharine Costa, Harvey, Tatiani Vitor, de Oliveira, Gabriela Mota Sena, Bitar, Thammy Vieira, Ferreira, Fernando, Albuquerque, George Rêgo, Carlos, Renata Santiago Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland MDPI 02.02.2023; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Animals; dog home range; Dogs; Dogs as carriers of disease; Evaluation; Flooring; geoprocessing; Infections; Methodology; neglected tropical disease; Parasites; sand flea; Talitridae; Tropical medicine; Brazil; dog home range; neglected tropical disease; sand flea; geoprocessing
• ISSN: 2414-6366; 2414-6366
• DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8020098

Tungiasis is a neglected disease caused by the sand flea 'Tunga penetrans', and dogs are considered the main reservoirs in Brazil. This study aimed to identify the role of dogs as tungiasis dispersers and to investigate the presence of 'T. penetrans' in the soil of an endemic tourist area. Nine dogs infected by 'T. penetrans' were included in this study and received GPS collars to analyze their movement through the village. Duplicate sand samples were collected in different areas of the community. Those areas were classified as peridomicile (n = 110), open area (n = 110), beach (n = 50), and river (n = 58). The analysis of the points recorded by the collars showed that the dogs roamed throughout the community, potentially facilitating the spread of the disease. Samples contaminated with developmental forms of the parasite were found in the circulation area of three dogs. Adult fleas were found in 3/328 samples. These data emphasize that infected dogs' roaming can influence the fleas' dispersion in the soil. Statistically, none of the study variables had a significant correlation (p > 0.5) with the presence of 'T. penetrans' in the area analyzed. This study was the first to assess infected dogs' role as tungiasis propagators.