what are jiggers on feet

Jiggers are small parasitic fleas that burrow into the skin of a warm-blooded host before laying eggs. They are also known as tungiasis, sand fleas, or chigoe. Jiggers generally attack feet or hands, and the feet are the most common infection point. At first, the jigger appears as a small black dot on the skin. As the females abdomen fills with blood and eggs, a bump forms underneath the skin, which is often painful and itchy and makes walking incredibly difficult. Only female jiggers burrow into the skin. If left untreated, jiggers can lead to deadly secondary infections or even amputation. People suffering from jiggers usually attempt to remove them with safety pins, thorns, or other sharp, and often unsanitary, objects. Jigger infestations can be very painful and cause severe pathology, including fissures, ulcers, lymphangitis, lymphoedema, ascending neuritis, deformation and loss of nails, and tissue necrosis.