Canine tungiasis: hHigh prevalence in a tourist region in Bahia state, Brazil

Harvery, Tatiani Vitor, Heukelbach, Jorg, Assunção, Maíra Siles, Fernandes, Thalna Magalhães, da Rocha, Christine Maria Barcellos Magalhães, and Carlos, Renata Santiago Alberto (2017) Canine tungiasis: hHigh prevalence in a tourist region in Bahia state, Brazil. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 139. pp. 76-81.

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Abstract

Tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease neglected by authorities, health professionals, and the general population. Its occurrence is significantly associated with poverty. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the prevalence of tungiasis, associated clinical signs and risk factors of the canine population at a tourist site in the city of Ilheus, Bahia (northeast Brazil). All village households were visited and dogs inspected after authorization by owners. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered. Of the 114 dogs included in the study, 71 (62.3%) were infested; all of them had lesions on their pads. An ectopic lesion on the nose was observed in one dog (1.4%). The number of manipulated lesions outnumbered the number of vital and avital lesions with an average of 88.3%. Edema (95.8%) and hyperkeratosis (85.9%) were the most prevalent clinical signs. Behavioral disorders such as excessive licking (6/71; 8.5%), disobedience (1/71; 1.4%) and prostration (2/71; 2.8%) were reported. In the multi-variate analysis, semi restricted condition of the dogs (adjusted OR= 8.58; 95% Cl = 2.47-29.76) and the presence of sand on the compound (adjusted OR = 14.23, 95% CI = 2.88-70.28) were significantly associated with infestation. We concluded that, infestation with Tunga spp. is highly endemic in the canine population of the village. The low level of restrictions on dogs and the presence of sand in areas most frequented by the animals are perpetuating factors of infestation in the community, subject to integrated and multidisciplinary intervention measures.

Item ID: 50370
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1873-1716
Keywords: tunga penetrans, dogs, epidemiology, northeastern Brazil
Funders: Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB), State University of Santa Cruz
Date Deposited: 20 Sep 2017 08:20
FoR Codes: 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3207 Medical microbiology > 320704 Medical parasitology @ 100%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920109 Infectious Diseases @ 100%
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