Dracunculiasis

Dracunculiasis, or guinea worm disease, is an infection transmitted through drinking water containing microcrustaceans of the genus Cyclops harbouring infective larvae of the nematode Dracunculus medinensis. Larvae liberated in the stomach mature and reproduce, and fertilized females migrate to subcutaneous tissues, usually of the extremities, forming painful blisters. Nearly eradicated through safe water provision and filtration, it remains a landmark public health success story. Surveillance continues in formerly endemic areas to confirm that transmission has truly stopped. The campaign’s success offers a model for tackling other waterborne parasitic diseases.