CLINICAL CASES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2000 December;135(6):727-9

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

A case of imported tungiasis

Castellaneta M., Feliciani C., Morelli F., Mohammad Pour S., Coscione G., Toto P., Amatetti M., Amerio P.

Università degli Studi «G. D’Annunzio» - Chieti Clinica Dermatologica Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Roma * Clinica Dermatologica

Tungiasis is an endemic parasitosis caused by the female flea called Tunga penetrans. The penetration of this parasite produces a hard and inflamed nodular lesion presenting a central little black hole through which the parasite eliminates eggs. A case of tungiasis in a friar who lived in Etiopia for several months is reported. The patient showed in his left heel a very itching nodular lesion of about one centimeter in diameter. In the center of the lesion there was a little dark canaliculus delimited by a reddish halo. The diagnosis was made on the clinical aspect of the lesion and on the anamnesis and was confirmed by histological examination. The lesion was surgically resected, solving the case.