Disseminated Tungiasis in Patient With Mental Disorder Treated in the Brazilian Amazon: a Case Report
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Tungiasis is a zooanthropophilic infection caused by the parasite Tunga penetrans. We report the case of a psychiatric patient, a Haitian migrant with disseminated tungiasis A 28-year-old Haitian man, HIV-negative and homeless in a city near Manaus, presented with crusty and pruritic lesions on his upper and lower limbs. Based on the characteristics of the lesions and the parasites collected, the patient was diagnosed with disseminated tungiasis by dermoscopy and histopathological examination. Subsequently, the parasite was identified as Tunga penetrans. The case reinforces the importance of surveillance of tungiasis even in endemic areas, such as Brazil and Haiti, particularly among individuals facing socioeconomic vulnerability and mental health disorders, as they may neglect hygiene and health practices, increasing the risk of severe infestations and disease progression.
Source: Aracê.
DOI: 10.56238/arev7n6-342
Authors: Marcel Gonçalves Maciel, Djane Clarys Baia Da Silva, Jordana Pereira Gonzaga, Amaury Trindade De Castro, João Paulo Alves Araújo, Luiz Henrique Gonçalves Maciel, Clodoaldo da Silva Almeida, Michael Nosano Yakubu
Institutions: Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Federal University Wukari
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4411789906