According to an update issued by The Carter Center, the number of cases of the serious disease have declined to just 27 incidences in six countries. This includes Chad, where there are now only 12 cases, which represents a 75 percent drop from 2019. Furthermore, incidences of animal infections show 20 percent decline.
This moves progress closely to eradication of the disease across the planet. A few years ago (in the mid-1980s), the disease affected 3.5 million people per year in 21 countries. With Chad, the impacted countries are Ethiopia, South Sudan, Angola, Mali, and Cameroon.
The disease in question is ‘Guinea Worm Disease’, also known as dracunculiasis. This is an infection by the guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis.) The infectious guinea worm is a nematode and the species of concern is among the longest nematodes infecting humans. For example, females are up to 60 centimeters in length; males are far smaller at only 3 centimeters in length. Around a year after the infection, a painful blister forms. From this, one or more worms emerge. This leads to a burning sensation., and to soothe the burning pain, patients often immerse the infected area in water. This invariably leads to the release of thousands of larvae (baby worms) into the water, and when people bathe in the water the cycle is repeated.
Eradication efforts are currently focused on eliminating the disease in animals, which is where the higher rates stand. In Chad, as an example, 1,570 animals were found be infected last year (1,507 domestic dogs, 61 domestic cats, and two wild cats).
This is supported by human focused activities, including health education, using filters for all drinking water, preventing people and animals with emerging Guinea worms from entering water sources, and disinfecting stagnant water sources.
Commenting on the eradication efforts, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said: “There should be no such thing as a neglected disease, tropical or otherwise. With the resources, knowledge, and technology available to us today, there is little excuse for millions of people to continue to suffer from these preventable illnesses. We are grateful for our partners who are committed to righting this wrong.”
