The guinea worm, a parasite of humans, is found in
tropical regions of Asia and Africa and in the West Indies and tropical South America
.
Where is the guinea worm found?
When The Carter Center began to provide technical and financial assistance to national eradication programs in 1986, Guinea worm disease was found in 20 countries in
Africa and Asia
. Today the disease remains in six countries, all in Africa: Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Niger.
How is a guinea worm removed?
Treatment involves removing the worm
manually by a healthcare professional
. When a part of the worm begins to emerge out of the wound, a stick is placed around the wound. The worm is carefully pulled out only a few centimeters each day by winding it around the stick.
Where in the body does the mature guinea worm reside?
There, they make their way through the
infected person’s stomach and intestinal walls
, eventually reaching subcutaneous tissues (the space just beneath the skin). The larvae stay in the body for about a year as they mature into adult worms. Female adults can grow to be about 24–39 inches (60–100 centimeters) long.
Are guinea worms in the US?
The North American guinea worms are
nematodes found in numerous furbearing species in the U.S.
and Canada. Two species of worms, Dracunculus insignis and D. lutrae, are recognized under this common name. The slender worms reside in the subcutaneous spaces of the legs, resulting in ulcerations in these affected areas.
What is the only cure for guinea worm?
What is the treatment for Guinea worm disease?
There is no drug to treat Guinea worm
disease and no vaccine to prevent infection. Once part of the worm begins to come out of the wound, the rest of the worm can only be pulled out a few centimeters each day by winding it around a piece of gauze or a small stick.
How does Guinea worm affect the body?
When the adult female worm is ready to come out, it creates a
blister on the skin
anywhere on the body, but usually on the legs and feet. This blister causes a very painful burning feeling and it bursts within 24-72 hours. Immersing the affected body part into water helps relieve the pain.
Why is eliminating guinea worm so difficult?
Another challenge is insecurity. Parts of some affected countries are inaccessible to the program because of internal conflict that makes these areas unsafe to enter or travel through. Guinea worm elimination
cannot be confirmed until surveillance can be carried out
in all areas.
What happens if a guinea worm breaks?
If the worm breaks during removal it can
cause intense inflammation as the remaining part of
the dead worm starts to degrade inside the body. This causes more pain, swelling, and cellulitis
[ 1 , 2 ]
.
What is the life cycle of Guinea worm?
The male worm dies shortly after mating, and the female matures over the subsequent
10–14 months
, slowly migrates to the surface of the body and emerges through the skin. When affected body parts are submerged in water, the female worm releases larvae, which are ingested by copepods, thus completing the life cycle.
What is the incubation period for Guinea worm disease?
As the incubation period of the worm takes
10–14 months
, a single missed case will delay eradication by a year or more.
Which disease caused due to worm?
Ascariasis
is the most common roundworm infection. About 10 percent of the developing world is infected with intestinal worms, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Is Guinea worm a parasite?
Guinea worm disease, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is caused by the
parasite Dracunculus medinensis
. The disease affects poor communities in remote parts of Africa that do not have safe water to drink. There is neither a drug treatment for Guinea worm disease nor a vaccine to prevent it.
Why can guinea worm infection be eradicated?
Unfortunately,
there is no medicine to cure
Guinea worm disease nor a vaccine to prevent it, and humans do not develop immunity to the disease. However, disease transmission can be prevented. Guinea worm disease is on track to become the second human disease, and the first parasitic disease, to be eradicated.
How long can a human have worms?
They can live in a person for 30 years
. If you swallow the eggs, they can go through your intestines into other parts of the body to form cysts.
How do you get rid of worms in guinea pigs?
Fenbendazole (20 mg/kg once daily per os)
or metronidazole (20-40 mg/kg twice daily per os) for 5 days can be used to treat infected guinea pigs. Infestation with Eimeria cavia is mostly relevant in groups, such as breeding groups or in the animal trade. Juveniles most commonly develop disease.
