Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) is an ancient disease.
Possibly the fiery serpent referenced in the Old Testament
“Affliction of little dragons”
GWD is caused by Dracunculus medinensis—a nematode
http://www.gefor.4t.com/concurso/parasitologia/dracunculus.gif CDC
The emergence of the worm is excruciating.
Blister and/or ulcer Pain and Swelling Burning Sensations Emergence of Worm
http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/SWILLIAM/fgn/pnb/dracmed.html
http://www.pasozyty.com.pl/Nitkowiec-podskorny-Filaria-medinensis.html
Only treatment is wrapping the worm around a stick.
http://www.snl.no/dracunculiasis
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862009000900005&lng=pt&nrm=iso
Prevention is the key!
How?- Drink Clean Water- Don’t Contaminate Water- Filters- Education- Insecticides (ex: Abate®)
Carter CenterCarter Center
GWD hampers the development of communities.
GWD accounts for 60% of school absences
“Disease of the Empty Granary”
"Hopefully Guinea worm will be the first parasitic disease ever eradicated. If and
when that happens, we will have done it without a drug and without a vaccine to
treat or prevent the disease. If we can do that, it will be one of the greatest achievements in public health."
—Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, director, Guinea Worm Eradication Program
References
The World Health Organization http://www.who.int/dracunculiasis/en/http://www.who.int/topics/dracunculiasis/en/http://www.who.int/dracunculiasis/background/en/index.htmlhttp://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2008/WHO_HTM_NTD_PCT_2008.1_eng.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhttp://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/dracunculiasis/factsht_dracunculiasis.htmhttp://globalhealthedu.org/modules/Documents/109/player.html
Carter Centerhttp://www.cartercenter.org/health/guinea_worm/index.html
“The Imaging of Tropical Diseases. ”http://www.isradiology.org/tropical_deseases/tmcr/chapter27/epidemiology.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/06/guinea.worm.eradication/index.html?hpt=Sbin
American Society for Microbiologyhttp://cmr.asm.org/cgi/content/full/15/2/223#Treatment