Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)
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DRACUNCULIASIS (GUINEA WORM DISEASE) Frank Mu
description
Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease). Frank Mu. Dracunculiasis documented as far back as 1550 BC. Dracunculus medinensis causes GWD. Among longest nematodes infecting humans Longest male: 1.6 in. Longest female: 31 in. Life cycle revolves around water. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)
DRACUNCULIASIS (GUINEA WORM DISEASE)
Frank Mu
Dracunculiasis documented as far back as 1550 BC
Dracunculus medinensis causes GWD
• Among longest nematodes infecting humans
• Longest male: 1.6 in.
• Longest female: 31 in.
Life cycle revolves around water
Larvae develop for two weeks inside copepods
Ingestion of contaminated water leads to human D. medinensis transmission
D. Medinensis migrate to lower limbs and induce blisters
Diagnosis made by observing worm head protruding from blister
No vaccines or medicine can treat or prevent Guinea Worm Disease
Only way to remove D. medinensis is by extracting entire worm inch by inch
Community education and awareness is a critical step towards prevention
Prevention through filtering water sources
Eradication efforts have reduced cases by 99%!
The end of dracunculiasis as we know it?
… Not so fast
References• Belcher, D.W., F.K. Wurapa, W.B. Ward, and I.M. Lourie (1975), “Guinea Worm in Southern Ghana:
Its Epidemiology and Impact on Agricultural Productivity,” American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 24:243-249.
• CDC. Renewed transmission of dracunculiasis---Chad, 2010. MMWR 2011;60:744—8• Donald R. Hopkins, Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, Philip Downs, P. Craig Withers, Jr., James H. Maguire
(2005). "Dracunculiasis Eradication: The Final Inch". American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 73 (4): 669–675.
• Greenway, C. Dracunculiasis (guinea worm disease) CMAJ February 17, 2004 170:495-500• Hopkins, Donald R.; Withers, P. Craig, Jr. (2002). "Sudan's war and eradication of dracunculiasis".
Lancet 360: s21–2• Keith Blayney (2002). "Caduceus vs Staff of Asclepius“• Ruiz-Tiben, Ernesto, and Hopkins, Donald R. “Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease) Eradication.”
Advances in Parasitology 61 (2006): 275-309.• Tropical Medicine Central Resource. "Dracunculiasis". Uniformed Services University of the Health
Sciences. 2008• Wikipedia. Dracunculiasis• World Health Organization. Dracunculiasis eradication: global surveillance summary, 2010. Wkly
Epidemiol Rec 2011;86:189--98.
