Jiggers

Jiggers (sand fleas) are parasites that use the human body as a host for its reproduction.

Jiggers live on the ground and can’t jump higher than 20 cm. As a consequence children, babies, the old and the sick are their main victims since they’re often lying on the ground with nobody to care for them.
This is true for most people living in the slums. There is a decided lack of hygiene, uncertainty concerning the treatment and financial hardship which means it’s impossible for most to buy the necessary medication. All of these factors promote the development of serious illness.

Many family men can’t work since they’re eaten up by jiggers. The diseased tissue dies off since it’s no longer supplied with blood and then rots away. And it smells like that as well.  The metabolic products of the fleas moves into the brain and those who didn’t die of blood poisoning until then will now succumb to their illness.

The natives call the fleas “Funza” or “Jiggers”.

This illness is little known in Europe.