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Review
. 2022 Nov 10;7(11):366.
doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110366.

Guinea Worm Disease: A Neglected Diseases on the Verge of Eradication

Carmen Pellegrino  1 , Giulia Patti  1 , Michele Camporeale  1 , Alessandra Belati  1 , Roberta Novara  1 , Roberta Papagni  1 , Luisa Frallonardo  1 , Lucia Diella  1 , Giacomo Guido  1 , Elda De Vita  1 , Valentina Totaro  1 , Francesco Vladimiro Segala  1 , Nicola Veronese  2 , Sergio Cotugno  1 , Davide Fiore Bavaro  1 , Giovanni Putoto  3 , Nazario Bevilacqua  4 , Chiara Castellani  5 , Emanuele Nicastri  4 , Annalisa Saracino  1 , Francesco Di Gennaro  1   3
Affiliations
Review

Guinea Worm Disease: A Neglected Diseases on the Verge of Eradication

Carmen Pellegrino et al. Trop Med Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease (GWD), is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by a parasite (Dracunculus medinensis). In the past, dracunculiasis was known as "the disease of the empty granary" because of the difficulties patients had in going to work in fields or to school when affected by this disease. In tropical areas, the condition has been widespread in economically disadvantaged communities, and has been associated with reduced economic status and low levels of education.

Methods: we searched PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and WHO websites for literature addressing dracunculiasis published in the last 50 years.

Results: by development and optimization of multi-layered control measures, transmission by the vector has been interrupted, but there are foci in several African countries with a high risk of compromising the results obtained in the control of this neglected disease.

Conclusion: this review features state-of-the-art data on the infection prevalence, geographical distribution, diagnostics, parasite-host interactions, and the pathology of dracunculiasis. Also described are the current state and future perspectives for vector control and elimination strategies.

Keywords: Africa; Guinea worm disease; NTDs; Spirurida; dracunculiasis; neglected diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
GWD human cases in 2021.
Figure 2
Figure 2
GWD life cycle.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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