DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF TUNGA PENETRANS WITHIN A COMMUNITY IN TRINIDAD, WEST-INDIES

This paper describes patterns of infection with Tunga penetrans within the town of Icacos, Trinidad, West Indies, assessed by the number of persons infected and the extent of the chigoe flea burden by physical examination. The overall prevalence of infection was 31.4% (102 infect ed persons) of the 325 persons examined (41% of males and 23% of femal es). Both measures showed a significant difference among the different age groups with peak chigoe burden found in the 5-9, 10-14 and >55 ag e-groups, with 9, 5.6 and 12 fleas per infected person, respectively. The aggregated distribution of chigoe flea burden showed a few persons with many fleas and many persons with none (68%). In contrast, in chi goe flea burden there were no significant sex differences but age-asso ciated differences (G=11.9; d.f. 7; P<0.01). It is recommended that al l cases of tungiasis should be treated and the source of infection eff ectively managed or eradicated.