Read more about this disease, some with Classification – Types – Signs and symptoms – Genetics – Pathophysiology – Diagnosis – Screening – Prevention – Treatment and management – Cures and much more, some including pictures and video when available.
Dracunculiasis, more commonly known as Guinea worm disease (GWD) or Medina Worm, is a parasitic infection caused by the nematode, Dracunculus medinensis. The name, dracunculiasis, is derived from the Latin “affliction with little dragons”.[1] The common name “Guinea worm” appeared after Europeans first saw the disease on the Guinea coast of West Africa in the 17th century.[2] The painful, burning sensation experienced by the infected patient has led to the disease being called “the fiery serpent”. Once prevalent in 20 nations in Asia and Africa, the disease remains endemic in six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is hoped that Guinea worm disease will be the first parasitic disease to be eradicated and the first disease in history eradicated through behavior change, without the use of vaccines or a cure.[3] Guinea worm disease is only contracted when a person drinks stagnant water contaminated with the larvae of the Guinea worm. There is no animal or environmental reservoir of D.medinensis. The infection must pass through humans each year.[3]
Guinea worm disease used to thrive in some of the world’s poorest areas, particularly those with limited or no access to clean water.[4] In these areas stagnant water sources may still host microscopic, fresh-water arthropods known as copepods (“water fleas”), which carry the larvae of the Guinea worm.
The larvae develop for approximately two weeks inside the copepods.[2] At this stage the larvae can cause Guinea worm disease if the infected copepods are not filtered from drinking water.[2] The male Guinea worm is typically much smaller (1.2–2.9 centimeters, 0.5-1.1 inches long) than the female, which, as an adult, can grow to between 2 and 3 feet (0.91 m) long and be as thick as a spaghetti noodle.[2][4]
Once inside the body stomach acid digests the water flea, but not the Guinea worm larvae sheltered inside.[2] These larvae find their way to the body cavity where the female mates with a male Guinea worm.[2] This takes place approximately 3 months after infection.[2] The male worm dies after mating and is absorbed.[2]
The female, which contains larvae, burrows into the deeper connective tissues or adjacent to long bones or joints of the extremities.[2]
Approximately one year after the infection began the worm attempts to leave the body by creating a blister in the human host’s skin—usually on a person’s lower extremities like a leg or foot.[5]
This blister causes a very painful burning sensation as the worm emerges. Within 72 hours the blister ruptures, exposing one end of the emergent worm.
Infected persons often immerse the affected limb in water to relieve this burning sensation. Once the blister or open sore is submerged in water the adult female releases hundreds of thousands of Guinea worm larvae, contaminating the water supply.
During the next several days the female worm is capable of releasing more larvae whenever it comes in contact with water. These larvae contaminate the water supply and are eaten by copepods, thereby repeating the life-cycle of the disease. Infected copepods can only live in the water for 2 to 3 weeks if they are not ingested by a person. Infection does not create immunity, so people can repeatedly experience Guinea worm disease throughout their lives.[4]
[tubepress mode=’tag’, tagValue=’Dracunculiasis’]