Guinea Worm Disease

By: Daniel Coward

Guinea Worm Disease

• It is a preventable waterborne disease caused by a parasite

Dracunculus medinensis

• Also known as the “Guinea worm”

Dracunculus medinensis

• Also known as the “Guinea worm”

• The largest tissue affecting parasite in humans

Dracunculus medinensis

• Also known as the “Guinea worm”

• The largest tissue affecting parasite in humans

• Adult female carries about 300 embryos

Etiology

• The disease is contracted when an individual drinks water that is contaminated with the parasite.

Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis

Foot blister induced by the female guinea worm

Guinea worm emerging

Treatment

• There is NO DRUG and no VACCINE to prevent infection

Treatment

• There is NO DRUG and no VACCINE for guinea worm disease to prevent infection

• After the worm emerges, it can be pulled out very slowly

Treatment

• Many infected people get the worm out by twirling a stick

Risk Groups

• Occurs almost exclusively in isolated rural areas.

Risk Groups

• Occurs almost exclusively in isolated rural areas.

• Occurs only in 5 countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Sudan, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, and Mali.

Risk Groups

• In 2007, only 9,585 cases of GWD were reported. Most of those cases were from Sudan (61%) and Ghana (35%).

Prevelance/Incidence

• The disease occurs at two different times of the year

Prevelance/Incidence

• The disease occurs at two different times of the year

• Near the Sahara the transmission occurs during the rainy season

Prevelance/Incidence

• The disease occurs at two different times of the year

• Near the Sahara the transmission occurs during the rainy season

• In the Savanna the transmission occurs during the dry season

Why this matters?

• The disease has a limited geographic distribution

• It is seasonal in nature

So?

So?

• It is easy to target and eradicate it from endemic areas

Socioeconomic Effects

• Estimated that infected people lose 100 days of work and children miss 25% of the school year

Prevention

• Guinea worm disease is a vulnerable disease because its transmission cycle relies on humans

Prevention

• Guinea worm disease is a vulnerable disease because its transmission cycle relies on humans

• It is possible to permanently eliminate the disease with the use of prevention techniques

Prevention

• Filter water!

Prevention

• Educate!

Prevention

•Boil Water!

Prevention

• Only drink water from underground sources

Eradication

• Carter Center leads the way

Eradication•Others Follow!

Eradication

• Educate

Eradication

• Educate

• Treatment

Eradication

• Educate

• Treatment

• Larvicides

Eradication

• Educate

• Treatment

• Larvicides

• Pond Caretakers

Eradication Results

Great!!!

Eradication ResultsGreat!!!