1. Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)
Frank Mu

2. Dracunculiasis documented as far back as 1550 BC
Egyptian Ebers Papyrus
18th century- Carolus Linnaeus first to propose “fiery serpents” was parasitic worm

3. Dracunculus medinensis causes GWD
Among longest nematodes infecting humans
Longest male: 1.6 in.
Longest female: 31 in.
Females cause trouble/pain Let’s talk about how these lovely animals get into your body

4. Life cycle revolves around water

5. Larvae develop for two weeks inside copepods

6. Ingestion of contaminated water leads to human D
Ingestion of contaminated water leads to human D. medinensis transmission

7. D. Medinensis migrate to lower limbs and induce blisters
Intense lower leg Pain
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting

8. Diagnosis made by observing worm head protruding from blister

9. No vaccines or medicine can treat or prevent Guinea Worm Disease
Secondary infection if worm is broken

10. Only way to remove D. medinensis is by extracting entire worm inch by inch
rod of Asclepius caduceus

12. Nigeria, $20 million per year rice farmers, school absenteeism rate over 60%

13. Community education and awareness is a critical step towards prevention
Don’t stick feet in drinking water
Village in Sudan installation of pump that delivered clean water

14. Prevention through filtering water sources

15. Eradication efforts have reduced cases by 99%!
Significant efforts led by jimmy carter and his organization the carter center

16. The end of dracunculiasis as we know it?

17. … Not so fast

18. Absence of worms for three consecutive years to be certified GW-free by WHO

19. 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:
CDC. Renewed transmission of dracunculiasis---Chad, 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, :
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):
Tropical Medicine Central Resource. "Dracunculiasis". Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. 2008
Wikipedia. Dracunculiasis
World Health Organization. Dracunculiasis eradication: global surveillance summary, Wkly Epidemiol Rec 2011;86: