what is jiggers

Jiggers are small parasitic fleas that burrow into the skin of warm-blooded hosts, including humans, before laying eggs. They are also known as tungiasis, chigoe, nigua, or bicho de pé. Jiggers are native to Central and South America and have been introduced to sub-Saharan Africa. The female jigger burrows into the skin, usually of the foot, and as her 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. The larvae of jiggers live a few centimeters under sand or soil, feeding on organic matter, and they are often found inside dwellings with mud floors. An outbreak of tungiasis, a tropical parasitic skin disease commonly known as jiggers, has killed at least 20 Ugandans and taken host in more than 20,000.