Guinea Worm Infection - Drancunculiasis

A Worm Made for Hollywood: Guinea worm infection is called dracunculiasis. Dranculus medinensis is a large worm that invades the human body and reproduces. Then, the pregnant female makes her way out of the body, usually through the legs or foot. The gross factor is that the spaghetti shaped worm can be as long as three feet and its painful emergence takes weeks or months. The infection is sometimes called dracontiasis.

Guinea Worm Found in 12 Countries in the World: Guinea worm infection is found countries in sub-Saharan Africa in regions with dry climates. It is no longer found in Asia. In 2003, about 32,000 cases were reported in the world, which is good news, since the cases used to be in the millions. More than 60 percent of the '03 cases were from Sudan, where a civil war has displaces millions of people, forcing them to scavenge for food and water. In order of prevalence, Guinea worm is present in:

• Sudan
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cote d’Ivoire
• Ethiopia
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Níger
• Togo
• Uganda

Seeking Relief, Sufferers Infect Water Unknowingly: When the worm is emerging from the skin, people seek water to cool the burning pain. But each time a pregnant guinea worm is in contact with water, she releases a milky liquid with millions of larvae, which is then eaten by copepods that are drank by people -- completing the cycle.

Symptoms of Guinea Worm Infection: The worm takes 10 to 14 months to mature. The symptoms then are:

• A blister, usually on the foot
• Burning and itching of the skin around the blistered area
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Hives

Complications:

• Bacterial infection of the worm emergence site
• Arthritis
• Locked joints
• Permanent crippling
• Death

Although the disease rarely causes death, it debilitates millions of people, making them unable to take care of themselves and their families for around three months with each infection.

Diagnosis: Guinea worm is identified and diagnosed when the worm emerges or by identifying the larvae under a microscope.

Prevention: There is no vaccine against Guinea worm, and a person can be infected repeatedly. For those living in countries where there is Guinea worm, or for the more adventurous traveler, here are some do's and don't:

• DO drink only filtered water, using a fine mesh cloth with a mesh size of 100 micrometers works. Use filtered water for brushing teeth.
• DO get rid of step wells and use draw wells
• DO control copepods in ponds and other bodies of water with the chemical temefos (Abate)
• DO make sure you have the tetanus shot to avoid complications
• DO NOT go near water sources if you are infected with guinea worm

Treatment: Usually only the sore, where the guinea worm is emerging, is treated by cleaning the sore, applying antibiotic ointment and bandaging the site. Removing the worm by surgery is only done right before the worm emerges; the worm should not be killed before then. Some doctors may just slowly pull the worm out little by little each day, wrapping the emerging worm around a small stick. Swelling can be treated with aspirin or ibuprofen. Do not give children aspirin.

Animals Do Not Get Guinea Worm: Curiously enough, the only animal reservoir for guinea worm is humans, making it potentially possible to completely eradicate from the world. The Carter center, UNICEF, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization are all working to rid the world of Guinea worm infection.