The
parasite that I find most interesting is the guinea worm. This is because
although there is no medication or vaccine, it can be easily prevented by
the use of a fabric strainer to filter infected drinking water.
Prevelance: The point prevelance for 2008 was 4,647
The initial
infection results from drinking contaminated drinking water that contain small
crustaceans that are infected with the D. medinensis larvae.
1. After the consuming these
crustaceans called copepods they die release the parasitic larvae which
penetrates the stomach and intestinal wall of the host entering the abdominal
cavity and retroperitoneal space.
2. Once the larvae matures into adults
the male worms die and the females move through the body to subcutaneous tissue
near the surface of the skin.
3. After approximately 1 year inside of
the host the female worm creates a blister on the skin where it emerges
exposing itself. The worm typically emerges on the lower legs. Often the host
seeks water for relief from the discomfort which give the worm an opportunity
to releases it larvae.
4. The larvae is the consumed by
copepods
5. After two molts the parasite
develops into infected larvae
6. Ingestion of the copepod ends and
begins the cycle
The
eradication programs for guinea worm disease primarily involve strategies for
prevention. Many of these programs facilitate sources for safe drinking water
as well as the filtration devices to filter water before consumption. Something
as simple as a piece of fine cloth to strain drinking water can be an effective
strategy in preventing the consumption of this parasites. The use of larvicides
such as temephos have been used to treat infected ponds. Efforts by the WHO
ultimately established the International Commission for the Certification of
Dracunculiasis Eradication in 1995 which provides a system to certify countries
as being guinea-worm disease free. Once a host is infected with the parasite it
will ultimately grow until forming a blister mostly on the lower leg, where the
worm will emerge from the tissue. At this time the worm can be manually extracted.
http://www.cartercenter.org/health/guinea_worm/index.html
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