Volume 22, Number 8—August 2016
Etymologia
Etymologia: Dracunculus medinensis
Also known as Guinea worm (Figure) for its high prevalence along the Gulf of Guinea, Dracunculus medinensis (“little dragon from Medina”) is a parasitic nematode that infects humans and domestic animals through contaminated water. D. medinensis was described in Egypt as early as the 15th century
Guinea worm disease was once a substantial cause of illness in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia, but cases declined as water sanitation improved in the 19th century. In 1986, the World Health Organization resolved to eradicate the parasite, and in 2015, there were only 22 cases in 4 countries (Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, and South Sudan).
References
- Biswas G, Sankara DP, Agua-Agum J, Maiga A. Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease): eradication without a drug or vaccine. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2013;368:20120146. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
- World Health Organization. Dracunculiasis: historical background. August 5, 2014 [cited 20 Jun 2016]. http://www.who.int/dracunculiasis/background/en/.
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Table of Contents – Volume 22, Number 8—August 2016
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