GUINEA WORM!!by. Tony Flatts

WHAT IS A GUINEA WORM?A guinea worm (Dracunculiasis) is a parasite

that lives in the contaminated water, it goes in to people who drink out of it with out it being

filtered.

Where Is It Found? -found in Africa -South Sudan -Nigeria -Burkina -Niger -Ghana -Mali -Uganda -Togo -Benin

Life cycle First humans drink unfiltered water that has a

water flea with the parasite in it Then when the water flea dies the worm goes

down to the intestine wall and matures and reproduce

Next the fertilized female goes down your leg to your foot and creates a blister

After the female falls in to the water Then gets eaten by a water flea the them cycle

starts over again

Habitat

They live in the water and inside of the water flea

WHAT IS THE INFECTIOUS THING THAT CAUSES GUINEA WORM

DISEASE?

Guinea worm disease is caused by Dracunculus medinens (scientific name) a threadlike parasitic worm that grows and in people worms grow up

to 3 feet long and are as wide as a paper clip.

How Do You Get A Guinea Worm?

You get the Guinea worm if you go in to water with water fleas and the water fleas have the parasite so if you drink the water the water flea goes in your body and the parasite leaves the flea and in your body.

How soon after being infected will the symptoms appear?

It would take about a year after you drink the water that you get the symptoms.

What Are The Symptoms?

You will start to have a fever and grow a blister where the worm is located at after a few day the blister will open. Then after put in water the worm will appear then after it is taken out the wound will be infected and swollen.

How is Guinea worm disease diagnosed?

You know when you are diagnosed when you start to see the adult worm form under you skin

Who is at risk for Guinea worm disease?

Any who drinks stand up pond water or well water that has been contaminated.

What is the treatment for Guinea worm disease?

There is no cure for it now but you will need treatment and it takes about several weeks to months to pull the hole worm out.

What complications can be result from Guinea worm disease?

You get intense pain, you can’t go to work, or work on the farm get the crops or care for the kids. If you are a kid then you will not be able to go to school and you need to get out of school for a while

How common is Guinea worm disease?

Since 1986 3.5 mil. In 1995, the total number of infected people worldwide had dropped to about 130,000, less than 4% of the total in 1986. the reason is that many of the health company are helping Africa fight it

Some pictures

Refrences

http://www.dhpe.org/infect/guinea.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracunculiasis