Dracunculiasis eradication: and now, South Sudan

Abstract

This report summarizes the status of the global Dracunculiasis Eradication Program as of the end of 2012. Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) has been eliminated from 17 of 21 countries where it was endemic in 1986, when an estimated 3.5 million cases occurred worldwide. Only 542 cases were reported from four countries in 2012, and 103 villages still had indigenous transmission. Most remaining cases were reported from the new Republic of South Sudan, whereas Chad, Ethiopia, and Mali each reported 10 cases or less. Political instability and insecurity in Mali may become the main obstacles to interrupting dracunculiasis transmission forever.

Figure 1.

Distribution of 542 indigenous cases of dracunculiasis reported during 2012.

Figure 2.

SSGWEP: counties reporting cases during 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Figure 3.

SSGWEP: the number of endemic villages and counties reporting cases and the number of cases reported during 2008–2012.