'Jigger' fleas burrow so deep that victims must have them cut out of their skin Man's feet are infested with 'jigger' fleas, common in Sub-Saharan climates They have caused his foot to become grossly swollen and disfigured His skin is flaky, pitted and covered with nodules from burrowing fleas Jiggers burrow into human flesh, lay pea-size eggs and multiply They cause swelling, itching, ulceration and infection Victims can suffer blood poisoning, gangrene, tetanus and other diseases Sometimes this can lead to amputation or even death in the worst cases Have to be cut out of victims foot using a sharp knife, scalpel or pin Victims who share pins or scalpels can pass on HIV/Aids infections This is the painful moment a man infested with parasitic "jigger" fleas is forced to have them cut out of his foot with a scalpel. The man's foot is massively swollen and disfigured, having been plagued with jiggers for years, leaving him unable to walk. The skin on his foot is flaky and pitted from previous infestations. A man infested with 'jigger' fleas is forced to have them cut out of his foot with a scalpel Jigger, or chigoe fleas, common in Sub-Saharan Africa, burrow into human flesh and lay pea-sized egg sacs. The resulting wounds can lead to infections like gangrene and hepatitis Jigger fleas cause swelling, ulceration, itching and infections and the pain leaves many people with walking problems. The only way to remove the jiggers is to cut them out of the feet - usually with no anaesthetic Jiggers, or chigoe fleas, are sand fleas found in Sub-Saharan climates that burrow into the skin and lay eggs. They cause swelling, itching and infection which can lead to amputation and even death in the worst cases. A healthcare worker cuts away nodules where the jiggers have buried into the man's foot, wiping away the flea and the surrounding pus and blood with cotton wool. Cutting the fleas out of the foot and soaking it in alcohol or another disinfectant is the only way to treat the disease once an infestation has occurred. Cutting out the jiggers is a painful process, and often all the jiggers cannot be removed in one sitting. In Kenya, an estimated 1.4 million people (translating to four per cent of the total population) suffer from jigger infestation. Jiggers are small chigoe fleas that live in the dust, and are found on the dirt floors in schools and the homes of many families in Uganda and other similar climates. These parasitic insects cling to livestock and transfer jiggers into homes primarily in rural areas. The female jiggers burrow into the surface of skin that has been exposed to the flea. Once embedded in the body, the jigger lays eggs and creates up to pea-size egg sacks and continues to multiply by laying more eggs. These wounds are painful, and cause difficulties for victims in daily activities such as walking, playing, and attending school. The infection can lead to severe inflammation, ulceration and fibrosis. It can also cause lymphangitis, gangrene, sepsis, and the loss of toenails, amputation of the digits, and death may also occur. There is also a social stigma and shame associated with the victims of jiggers which causes them to hide the problem which makes it worse. While jiggers in small numbers are not deadly, the secondary infections (gangrene, tetanus and other diseases) caused by jiggers can be fatal. Source: Sole Hope They leave most victims unable to walk work, or carry out any activities such as going to school. Areas of Uganda, Tanzania and other African countries with similar climates also have large areas of infestation. The female jiggers burrow into the skin, usually of the hands and feel, and lay egg sacks which can grow up to the size of a pea. The flea continue to multiply by laying more eggs, causing an infection which leads the body to become ulcerated and inflamed. It can also cause lymphangitis- a swelling of the lymph nodes, as well as gangrene, tetanus and blood poisoning. Victims often lose their toenails and are forced to have their digits amputated. While in small numbers jiggers are not deadly, the secondary infections such as gangrene and tetanus can be fatal. There is also a social stigma and shame associated with the victims of joggers which causes them to hide the problem, making it worse. Patients often use the same scalpel or pin to cut out the jiggers, therefore infections such as HIV/Aids are passed from person to person. Jiggers also burrow into the skin of animals like dogs, cats, rats, pigs, cattle and sheep, so people living in rural areas are likely to catch them. But they are also found in the dust and on dirt floors of many homes and schools. For a complete eradication of the bug, thorough fumigation of homes, schools and animals need to take place. Charities in infected regions also encourage the local populations to wear shoes and observe cleanliness to prevent future infestations. For more information and to support the cause visit the Kill the Jigger website, the Sole Hope website or sending donations to donate@killthejigger.org. Here, a nodule has been cut away on the man's foot to reveal the jigger underneath (green, centre of foot) The health worker removes the jigger with a scalpel, leaving a pitted wound The jigger is wiped in cotton wool and the scalpel cleaned before another flea is cut out