Dracunculiasis/guinea
worm disease
·
Caused by
contaminated drinking water (mostly confined to Sub-Saharan Africa)
·
Water contains a
crustacean carrying the guinea worms -Dracunculus medinensis
·
Infective larvae
penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate to connective tissues where they
develop into adult worms - live in the connective and subcutaneous tissues,
particularly in the legs
·
Intense pain
localized to its path of travel
·
The painful, burning
sensation experienced by infected people has led to the disease being called
"the fiery serpent“
·
Other symptoms
include fever, nausea, vomiting
·
High morbidity;
causes economic loss by reducing the working capacities of affected individuals
·
Controlled
submersion of the affected area in a bucket of water. This causes the worm to
discharge many of its larva, making it less infectious. The water is then discarded on the ground far
away from any water source
· Submersion results
in subjective relief of the burning sensation and makes subsequent extraction
of the worm easier
· To extract the worm,
wrap the live worm around a piece of gauze or a stick. The process can be long,
taking anywhere from hours to months. Gently massaging the area around the
blister can help loosen the worm up a bit
Schistosomiasis
· Schistosoma; blood
fluke - through contaminated water; diarrhea
like
· Schistosoma
mansoni, Schistosoma japonicum - Chronic illness that can damage internal organs
and, in children, impair growth and cognitive development
· Schistosoma haematobium - The urinary form of Schistosomiasis associated with increased risks
for bladder cancer in adults
Control
Measures
Ø
Avoid water
pollution
Ø
Keep the drinking
water in a clean and closed vessel
Ø
Use drinking water
after boiling and cooling
Ø
Collect water from
hygienic sources only
Ø
Disinfection of
water distribution systems
Ø
Proper waste
management
Ø
Prevent the breeding
of mosquitoes specially in rainy season
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