Identification of tungiasis infection hotspots with a low-cost, high-throughput method for extracting Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) off-host stages from soil samples–An observational study

Abstract

The sand flea,Tungapenetrans,is the cause of a severely neglected parasitics kin disease(tungiasis)in the tropics and has received little attention from entomologists to understand its transmission ecology.Likeallfleas,T.penetranshasenvironmentaloff-hoststagespre-sentinga constantsourceof reinfection.WeadaptedtheBerlese-Tullgrenfunnelmethodusingheatfromlightbulbsto extractoff-hoststagesfromsoilsamplesto identifythemajordevelopmentsiteswithinruralhouseholdsin KenyaandUganda