Background: Tungiasis is a neglected disease caused by Tunga penetrans that can be complicated by secondary infections and local tissue destruction. Adequate treatment is important, especially in vulnerable populations; potential treatment options proposed range from surgical extraction to the use of oral and topical medications. We aimed to perform a systematic review to assess the efficacy of topical, oral and surgical interventions for the treatment of tungiasis. Methodology/Principal findings: The present review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021234741). On September 1, 2020, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scielo and LILACS BVS. We included clinical trials and longitudinal observational studies that evaluated any topical, systemic or mechanical treatment for tungiasis. We used the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) Tool for Randomized Trials for clinical trial analysis. Qualitative and quantitative descriptive syntheses were performed. Our search strategy resulted in 3376 references. Subsequently, 2568 titles/abstracts and 114 full texts were screened. We finally included 19 articles; 9 were classified as clinical trials. Two and 3 articles presented low and some RoB, respectively, according to the tool. Only two articles tested the efficacy of oral medications (niridazole, ivermectin), with discouraging results. Six clinical trials evaluated topical products for the treatment of tungiasis; 2 evaluated dimeticone-based compounds and reported positive results in lesion reduction and cure. None reported significant adverse reactions. Surgical extraction was evaluated only in observational studies. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that, although surgical extraction is the most commonly used treatment, there is sufficient evidence supporting the use of occlusive agents, especially manufactured dimeticone-based products.

Resumo A recente mudança de modelo da atenção primária à saúde para estratégia de Saúde da Família, com foco centrado no usuário e na territorialização foi o momento ideal para implantação do Projeto AcolheSUS em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) da Região Central de Brasília, Distrito Federal. A equipe de servidores da UBS realizou o diagnóstico situacional da unidade e o planejamento estratégico situacional, com o objetivo de reorganizar o serviço a partir da problematização e com foco nos processos de trabalho. Com o AcolheSUS houve aumento do número de cadastros individuais realizados pelas equipes de 135 para 3.525, o número de atendimentos de enfermagem aumentou em 193,7% e o número de procedimentos realizados por enfermeiros teve um acréscimo 121,2%. O percentual de residentes da área adstrita que procuravam a unidade básica de saúde durante o processo de mudança de modelo de atenção era 71% do total e alcançou 90,5% após o AcolheSUS. A média mensal de usuários acolhidos e classificados foi de 1.099,8. A construção conjunta de protocolos sólidos e o ajuste de processos de trabalho contribuíram para a melhoria na oferta de serviços e propiciaram maior acesso do usuário à unidade de saúde.

Background: Tungiasis is a disease associated with extreme poverty. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of tungiasis in six different settlements of the Sanumás indigenous community in a remote area in the Auaris region, Yanomami territory, Brazil. Methods: We conducted an observational study to detect clinical and epidemiological factors associated with tungiasis using a cross-sectional strategy and multivariate logistic regression. Soil analysis was performed by visual and microscopic methods. Results: We examined 555 persons, 45 of whom had active tungiasis; 18 cases were classified as mild, 16 as moderate and 11 as severe. The disease was significantly more prevalent in children than in adults (odds ratio (OR) 15.77; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.34–67.91; p < 0.001). Soil infestation was significantly related to the occurrence of human tungiasis (OR = 12.29; 95% CI = 3.75–45.88). The sex and GPS location of the houses were not related to the occurrence of tungiasis. Conclusions: We conclude that tungiasis is an important problem in the Sanumás community, especially for children. We suggest that interruption of the off-host transmission cycle, together with regular treatment [human and animal interventions], must be prioritized to achieve control of tungiasis in indigenous populations.