Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41772637›Full record

ArticleTropical medicine and health2026

Individual and household factors associated with tungiasis in a marginalized population in Karamoja, northeastern Uganda.

Lynne Elson, Abneel K Matharu, Berrick Otieno, Hermann Feldmeier, Charles Waiswa, Amina Abubakar, Jürgen Krücken, Ulrike Fillinger, Francis Mutebi

Abstract read
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Article in Tropical medicine and health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Lynne ElsonKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya.
Abneel K MatharuInstitute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Berrick OtienoInstitute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Hermann FeldmeierInstitute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
Charles WaiswaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Amina AbubakarInstitute for Human Development, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Jürgen KrückenInstitute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Ulrike FillingerHuman Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya.
Francis MutebiInstitute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany. francis.mutebi@mak.ac.ug.

Funding

Germany Research Foundation (DFG) 405027164; KR 2245/7-1Wellcome Trust Career Re-Entry Fellowship 213724/Z/18/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTungiasis is a neglected tropical skin disease caused by adult female fleas which burrow into the skin of people and animals, causing considerable pain and itching. The distribution of the disease is heterogeneous, with Napak district, Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda having the highest disease burden recorded globally. We aimed to determine the factors associated with this high prevalence to inform future intervention strategies.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study to identify factors associated with infection of individual children and adults, and a nested case-control study to identify factors for whole households (families). Infected children were identified through mass-screening of children aged 8-14 years between January and March 2022 in 25 villages. Of the 1619 children screened, 210 infected and 358 uninfected children were randomly selected, and their households were enrolled into the study. Observations were made of the homesteads, and structured interviews were conducted with the caregivers. All adults and children in the households were examined. Mixed effect logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with infection of individuals or households.

resultsWe found children who lived in high-density settlements (manyattas) had more than three times the odds of being infected than those in more open, low-density settlements (adjusted odds ratio aOR 3.51, 95% CI 1.57-7.83, p = 0.002). To our knowledge, this is the first study to show an association of household infection (at least one case) with having a child with a disability (aOR 5.38, 95% CI 1.92-15.03, p = 0.001) and a caregiver who did not show affection to their child (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.02-3.13, p = 0.041). For individual adults, those who reported drinking alcohol had four times the odds of infection than those who did not (aOR 4.74, 95% CI 1.93-11.68, p = 0.001). Frequency of washing feet, soap use and house cleanliness were also associated with household infection.

conclusionControl programs should be developed together with the caregivers to enable them to reduce alcohol use, improve their childcare, hygiene and sanitation practices.

Indexed as

DisabilityKaramojaNeglected tropical diseasesRisk factorsTungiasisWASH

Identifiers

PMID41772637
PMCPMC12954993

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.