Dracunculiasis Eradication: Are We There Yet?

• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0204
• Publication Date: 2018-06-05T07:00:46Z
• Authors: Donald R. Hopkins; Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben; Mark L. Eberhard; Adam Weiss; P. Craig Withers; Sharon L. Roy; Dean G. Sienko
• Keywords: Dracunculiasis; Cyclops; Disease Transmission

This report summarizes the status of global Dracunculiasis Eradication Program as end 2017. (guinea worm disease) has been eliminated from 19 21 countries where it was endemic in 1986, when an estimated 3.5 million cases occurred worldwide. Only Chad and Ethiopia reported humans, 15 each, Infections animals, mostly domestic dogs, with Dracunculus medinensis were those two also Mali. Insecurity infections animals are main obstacles remaining to interrupting dracunculiasis transmission completely.