How does guinea worm spread

The World Health Organization is responsible for certifying countries as Guinea worm-free, and is the only organization that can officially certify the eradication of a disease. The U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides technical assistance and verifies whether worms from final patients are truly Guinea worms. UNICEF mainly assists countries by helping to provide safe sources of drinking water to priority areas identified by the national Guinea worm eradication programs.

Learn more about where the final cases of Guinea worm disease are found ». Please sign up below for important news about the work of The Carter Center and special event invitations. Youthful Energy Tackles Old Problem. Major Progress against Guinea Worm in Chad.

Chad Volunteers at Heart of Program. The Carter Center leads the international campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease, meaning the disease will no longer exist. Guinea worm disease is poised to become the second human disease in history to be eradicated, following smallpox. The Carter Center is committed to creating a world where every child, woman, and man has the opportunity to live in peace and enjoy good health.

Peace Partners. Multimedia Videos Photo Gallery. Guinea Worm Disease. Donate Now. More Links in Health Programs. Children may be required to work the fields or tend animals in place of their sick parents or guardians. This can keep them from attending school. Children who have GWD themselves may also be unable to attend school. Therefore, GWD is both a disease of poverty and a cause of poverty because of the disability it causes. This information is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider.

If you have any questions about the parasites described above or think that you may have a parasitic infection, consult a health care provider. Department of Health and Human Services. Contact Us. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Parasites - Guinea Worm. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. On This Page What is dracunculiasis? How does Guinea worm disease spread?

What are the signs and symptoms of Guinea worm disease? What is the treatment for Guinea worm disease? Where is Guinea worm disease found? Who is at risk for infection? Is Guinea worm disease a serious illness? Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Parasites - Guinea Worm. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Parasites - Dracunculiasis also known as Guinea Worm Disease. No vaccine exists against Guinea worm, but the disease can be completely prevented by ensuring safe drinking water and not allowing the adult worms to disperse their larvae. The best way to prevent infection is to drink water only from uncontaminated water sources, like hand-dug wells and boreholes. Many communities affected by Guinea worm disease, however, lack access to clean drinking water.

In those instances, any water used for drinking or cooking should be filtered. The copepods that carry the Guinea worm larvae are too small to be seen without the help of a magnifying glass, but they're big enough to be easily removed from the water using a cloth or pipe filter.

Water sources can also be treated using a larvicide that kills the copepods and, as a result, the Guinea worm larvae. To protect drinking water supplies, those with blisters or partially removed worms should steer clear of fresh water drinking sources. Fish and other aquatic animals coming from potentially contaminated water sources should also be cooked thoroughly before they are eaten. These animals sometimes eat infected copepods. Cooking their meat at a high temperature will kill off the larvae lurking inside.

House pets, such as dogs, should never be given uncooked fish entrails or other foods scraps either. People can become infected with Guinea worm multiple times over the course of their lives. Until Guinea worm is officially eradicated from the planet, communities at risk have to continue to be vigilant to prevent the disease from making a comeback. There were just 30 cases of Guinea worm disease in all of —down While cases are still preliminary, there were just 11 cases from January 1 through July This steep drop in cases is largely due to efforts spearheaded by the Carter Center and other global partners that began in the s.

Since then, public and private agencies throughout the world have launched investigations identifying areas at-risk for the disease, educated families on how to prevent infection, and provided filters and insecticide to protect drinking water sources. These strategies appear to be working, and World Health Organizations plans indicate the disease could be eradicated as early as the year One potential holdup is the infection of other animals perpetuating the life cycle of the worm in drinking water sources.

Guinea worm affects dogs , for example, much like humans. Dogs take in the infected copepods through contaminated food or water, the larvae grow and mature into adult worms inside the dogs' bodies, and then, ultimately, erupt through the skin to release new larvae into water sources where they can continue to affect humans.

Guinea worm disease can be excruciating and significantly impact a person's quality of life, but there are things you can do to reduce the pain involved and lower your chances of a permanent disability.

Guinea worm disease is overwhelmingly a disease of poverty. It disproportionately affects the poorest of the poor who lack access to safe drinking water and adequate medical care, and its debilitating and often lifelong effects keep people from working or going to school—in effect, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Eradication efforts have come a long way to reducing the impact of Guinea worm on poor populations, but the fight isn't over yet. Stamping it out for good will take continued and widespread political will from all across the globe, including and especially from wealthy nations like the United States.