[Imported case of human tungiasis in Hungary].

INTRODUCTION

Tungiasis is a parasitic skin disease due to the permanent penetration of the female sand flea T. penetrans (Linnaeus, 1758) into the skin of its host.

CASE REPORT

A 39-year-old male patient was observed in May 2005 at the Outpatient Department of Dermato-Venerology Szent Rókus Hospital in Budapest because he felt the sensation of a foreign body growing under the skin of his left big toe. When the lesion occurred he was at Brazilian seaside, where he often walked barefooted. 6-7 days after, at the left big toe he saw on the margin oedematous, at the centre brownish punctuated lesion, 6-7 mm in diameter. Dermatological examination showed at the medial surface of the left big toe 6 mm in diameter, prominent, pustule-like lesion with approximately 2 mm rim of hyperemia. Surgically 4 mm in diameter whitish softish sheath was extracted. At the Department of Parasitology National Center for Epidemiology, Budapest, the parasite-like form was identified as Tunga penetrans.

CONCLUSION

With this case report the authors would like to call Hungarian physicians attention to this exotic disease imported into Hungary. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first imported human case of tungiasis in Hungary.