Guinea Worm Disease (GWD)

• The world is closing 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.
• India received Guinea worm disease-free certification status from the WHO in 2000.

ABOUT GWD

• Guinea worm disease, also called dracunculiasis, is the work of the Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis).
• It is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases.
• Symptoms
  • The disease causes intense pain, swelling, and ulcers, making it hard for people to go about their daily lives.
  • Mostly affecting the legs and feet, Guinea worm disease worsens poverty and illness in areas where clean water and healthcare are scarce.
• Spread by drinking water containing Guinea worm larvae.
• Infection cycle
  • Individuals whose bodies the worm has entered first experience a painful blister, usually on a lower limb.
  • When seeking relief, they may immerse the affected area in water, which prompts the worm to emerge and release hundreds of thousands of larvae, potentially contaminating communal water sources and perpetuating the infection cycle.
• Infections in animals, particularly in dogs, have also been reported.
• There is no vaccine and drug to prevent the disease and treat patients.