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To the Editor.—
Zalar and Walther have reported a case of tunga penetrans infestation in the Archives (1980;116:80-81), which they treated through curettage under local anesthesia, followed by applications of bacitracin ointment dressings.If the patient has few lesions, this technique is the best treatment choice. But in severe cases, with 20 or more parasites, treatment is traumatic and a cure is difficult. In 1971, I observed together with Valenca and Cardoso, two children, one 6 years old and the other 9 years old, each with about 100 lesions. Empirically, we treated these children with dosages of thiabendazole (50 mg/kg/day orally). A complete remission of the papular lesions occurred in five days, and after 15 days all lesions had disappeared. We have since used the same drug in dosages of 25 mg/kg/day with positive results. Now we prescribe thiabendazole for all severe cases of tunga infestation.My first report on