Jiggers abroad and while traveling: are they dangerous, where do you encounter them, where can you see them?

What is a jigger?

A jigger is a type of flea also known as sand flea or burrowing flea.
Jiggers look like tiny little flies, but they are literally parasites that live on blood.
Chigoe and bicho de pé are other names local people might use when warning you about these critters.
The term jiggers is also used for the itchy bumps caused by them.
These mini-draculas are a maximum of 1 mm in size, reddish-brown in color, and resemble other fleas.

Jiggers are mainly found in warmer countries in Africa, Asia (particularly Pakistan and India), and Central and South America.
Jiggers live in dry, dusty, and warm environments such as on beaches and in livestock barns. They jump onto the skin of, for example, dogs, cats, rats, or humans.
So be very careful on beaches with jiggers!

The jigger fleas feed on blood. For the males, that is as far as it goes; however, the females have something else in store.
Severely itchy and painful bumps (jiggers) develop, especially on your feet and around the toes, and sometimes on your hands, elbows, or buttocks.
The female jigger burrows into your skin (especially the skin of your feet) so that only her hind legs are visible. She now 'incubates' her eggs, during which she visibly swells into a hard bump the size of a pea. When the eggs are ripe, she drops them through the opening where her backside sticks out.
When you have jiggers in your skin, this is called Tungiasis.
As far as is known, the jigger does not transmit diseases as long as you take good care of your wounds.
An untreated infestation by multiple jiggers can cause life-threatening infections.

As a precautionary measure, you can wear shoes or sandals; these reduce the chance of getting sand fleas. If you wear socks that cover just your ankles, you are at least reasonably protected while walking, because these fleas cannot jump high.
For protection, you can use insect repellents such as DEET.
An effective product is called Zanzarin, a natural product that is effective in preventing bites, but it does not appear to be available for sale in the Netherlands for the time being.

Treatment actually means removing the jigger. There is no medicine against the fleas. The flea is usually removed with a (sterile) needle, preferably after cleaning with alcohol or ether (which kills the flea).
You can enlarge the opening slightly to get everything out.
Clean the wound thoroughly to prevent infections.
To relieve the itching, you can use a soothing ointment (Betadine, iodine, or flammazine ointment). This prevents scratch wounds that could become infected.

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