Report of a WHO informal meeting on the development of a conceptual framework for tungiasis control: virtual meeting, 11-13 January 2021

Tungiasis is a cutaneous ectoparasitosis caused by the sand flea Tunga penetrans and, in some countries, T. trimamillata. It was added to WHO’s portfolio of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in 2017 (1).1 The disease is also incorporated in the new NTD road map 2021–2030, which was launched by WHO in January 2021 (2), and in the Plan of Action to eliminate neglected infectious diseases in the Region of the Americas 2016–2022 (3). The informal meeting was convened to discuss various aspects of the disease and interventions for its control, with a view to generating recommendations for use by countries. It is envisaged that the meeting report will serve as a starting point for developing a conceptual framework for the control of tungiasis through public health action.

This report of the meeting outlines the discussions and recommendations agreed upon by consensus. The discussions addressed the background of tungiasis, mapping and surveillance, prevention and treatment, opportunities for integrated actions locally and research priorities.