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10. Kongress für Infektionskrankheiten und Tropenmedizin (KIT 2010)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie,
Deutsche AIDS-Gesellschaft,
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Tropenmedizin und Internationale Gesundheit,
Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie

23.06. - 26.06.2010, Köln

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Tungiasis (jigger flea infestation) in Rural Kenya: prevalence and risk factors

Tungiasis (Sandfloherkrankung) im ländlichen Kenia: Prävalenz und Risikofaktoren

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  • N. Njau - Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
  • P. Wanzala - Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Public Health Research, Nairobi, Kenya
  • M. Mutugi - Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
  • L. Ariza - Post-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
  • J. Heukelbach - School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

10. Kongress für Infektionskrankheiten und Tropenmedizin (KIT 2010). Köln, 23.-26.06.2010. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2010. DocP88

doi: 10.3205/10kit143, urn:nbn:de:0183-10kit1431

Published: June 2, 2010

© 2010 Njau et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Objectives: To describe the prevalence of tungiasis (jigger flea infestation) and associated risk factors in a sentinel group (children 5–12 years of age) in rural Central Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Murang'a South district during high transmission season (dry season, August–September 2009). A total of 385 randomly selected households was visited. Children were examined for the presence of tungiasis, and a questionnaire was administered to collect demographic, behavioral and environmental data.

Results: Prevalence of tungiasis was 57% (218/385; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 51.7%–61.6%). Itching (89.1%) was the most common associated symptom, followed by pain upon pressure (67.3%), sleep disturbance (58.2%) and walking difficulties (53%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following independent factors were associated with tungiasis: living in a house with earthen floor (adjusted OR=3.84; 95% CI: 2.09–7.06), walking barefooted (3.28; 1.78–6.04), having a common resting place outside the house (2.36; 1.01–5.51), and presence of rats on the compound (1.69; 1.03–2.75).

Conclusions: Tungiasis is highly endemic in rural Central Kenya and causes considerable morbidity. The disease is associated with poverty. Modifiable risk factors were identified that may be targets for sustainable and effective control measures.