GUINEA
WORM DISEASE - SCI & TECH
News:
Race to global eradication
of Guinea worm disease nears finish line
What's
in the news?
●
The world is on the brink of a public
health triumph as it closes in on eradicating Guinea worm disease.
●
There were more than 3.5 million cases of
this disease in the 1980s, but according to the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) weekly epidemiological report, they dwindled to 14 cases in 2021, 13 in
2022, and just six in 2023.
Key
takeaways:
●
Nations like South Sudan and Mali, where
Guinea worm disease was once more common, have made commendable progress,
although the fight continues in Chad and the Central African Republic.
Guinea
Worm Disease
●
Guinea worm disease, or Dracunculiasis is
caused by the Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis), a parasitic nematode is a debilitating
parasitic disease that renders infected individuals non-functional for weeks or
months.
●
It primarily affects people in rural,
deprived and isolated communities who rely on stagnant surface water sources
for drinking.
●
In the mid-1980s, an estimated 3.5 million
cases of dracunculiasis occurred in 20 countries worldwide, mainly in Africa
and Asia.
Transmission:
●
The parasite is transmitted when people
drink stagnant water contaminated
with parasite-infected water fleas.
Symptoms:
●
The disease manifests with painful skin lesions as the worm
emerges, causing weeks of intense pain, swelling, and secondary infections.
●
More than 90% of infections occur in the
legs and feet, affecting individuals' mobility and ability to work or perform
daily tasks.
Prevention:
●
There is no vaccine or medication to treat Guinea worm disease, but
prevention strategies have been successful.
●
Strategies include heightened
surveillance, preventing transmission from each worm through treatment and
wound care, filtering water before drinking, larvicide use, and health
education.
Road
to Eradication:
●
Efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease
began in the 1980s, with significant contributions from organisations like WHO.
●
Countries are certified as free of
dracunculiasis transmission after reporting zero instances for at least three
consecutive years.
●
Since
1995, WHO has certified 199 countries, territories, and areas as free of
dracunculiasis transmission.
India's
Success Story:
●
India achieved Guinea worm disease
elimination in the late 1990s through rigorous public health measures,
including water safety interventions and community education.
●
The government of India received Guinea worm disease-free certification
status from the WHO in 2000.