Guinea worm is more common in poor rural African villages that are not frequented by tourists. While the infection occurs mostly in Africa, the disease can also be found in Yemen. It can also be found in some of the most remote villages in the Rajastan desert of India.

Guinea worm is caused by a threadlike parasitic worm that grows and matures inside the human body. The worm is called Dracunculus medinensis. Dracunculus medinensis is as thin as a paper clip and it can grow up to a staggering three feet long. Once the larvae mature inside the human body, the Guinea worm exits the body through a painful blister in the skin. This can cause long-term suffering and oftentimes, crippling aftereffects.

People may become infected with Guinea worm after drinking standing water that contains a tiny water flea. The flea might be infected with the tiny larvae of the Guinea worm. The tiny larvae pierce the intestinal, mature into adulthood, then mate during the course of a year. Once the males die off, the female makes her way through the body where she will grow up to as much as three feet. The female will eventually end up near the surface of the skin, typically in the lower limbs.

Guinea worms cause intense swelling and painful, burning blisters. In most cases, the infected will seek out water to soothe the pain. In poor rural African villages, “water” usually means nearby ponds and wells. Once the sufferer enters the water, the blisters will burst and the worm will emerge releasing millions of new larvae into the water. Once the larvae have been released into the water, they are then swallowed by tiny water fleas and the cycle starts all over again.

Other symptoms of Guinea worm include: fever and infection. Most symptoms of Guinea worm do not develop until a year after a person has ingested contaminated water. Fortunately, Guinea worm can be detected by sight.

The adult worm can be seen protruding from a skin sore. While there is no cure for Guinea worm or medications to prevent infection, there are several methods to remove the worms. The Guinea worm can be removed a little at a time by winding it around a small stick and pulling it out. In some cases, the process will take only a few days, in others it might take a few weeks or even a few months.

In some cases, Guinea worm can be surgically removed before the actual wound begins to swell. Antibiotics and antihistamines may be used to reduce swelling and make removal of the worm easier. After a Guinea worm is removed, many people are left with permanent scarring and/or permanent crippling. Unfortunately, most people in infested villages will seek help when it is already too late.

Guinea worm infection can be avoided by using only filtered water or water that has been obtained from a safe source. Even water from ponds and wells can be boiled and filtered through cloth to kill the Guinea worm larvae. Water can also be treated with a larvae-killing chemical. In addition, people with open Guinea worm wounds should stay away from ponds or wells that are used for drinking water.

About Guinea Worm

Also called, dracunculiasis (pronounced: dra-KUNK-you-LIE-uh-sis), Guinea worm is a parasitic worm infection that occurs mainly in Africa. In fact, more than half of all cases of Guinea worm disease are reported from the southern Sudan region. Each year, 1,000 cases of Guinea worm disease are also reported in countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and Uganda. Countries where less than 1,000 cases of the disease are reported include: Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Senegal.

Guinea worm is more common in poor rural African villages that are not frequented by tourists. While the infection occurs mostly in Africa, the disease can also be found in Yemen, and some of the most remote villages in the Rajastan desert of India.

What causes Guinea worm?

A threadlike parasitic worm that grows and matures inside the human body causes guinea worm. The worm is called Dracunculus medinensis. Dracunculus medinensis is as thin as a paper clip and it can grow up to a staggering three feet long. Once the larvae mature inside the human body, the Guinea worm exits the body through a painful blister in the skin. This can cause long-term suffering and oftentimes, crippling aftereffects.

How is Guinea worm contracted?

People may become infected with Guinea worm after drinking standing water that contains a tiny water flea. The flea might be infected with the tiny larvae of the Guinea worm. The tiny larvae pierce the intestinal, mature into adulthood, then mate during the course of a year. Once the males die off, the female makes her way through the body where she will grow up to as much as three feet. The female will eventually end up near the surface of the skin, typically in the lower limbs.

Symptoms of Guinea worm

Guinea worms cause intense swelling and painful, burning blisters. In most cases, the infected will seek out water to soothe the pain. In poor rural African villages, “water” usually means nearby ponds and wells. Once the sufferer enters the water, the blisters will burst and the worm will emerge releasing millions of new larvae into the water. Once the larvae have been released into the water, tiny water fleas then swallow them and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

Other symptoms of Guinea worm include: fever and infection. Most symptoms of Guinea worm do not develop until a year after a person has ingested contaminated water.

Guinea worm diagnosis and treatment

Guinea worm can be detected by sight. The adult worm can be seen protruding from a skin sore. While there is no cure for Guinea worm or medications to prevent infection, there are several methods to remove the worms. The Guinea worm can be removed a little at a time by winding it around a small stick and pulling it out. In some cases, the process will take only a few days, in others it might take a few weeks or even a few months. In some cases, Guinea worm can be surgically removed before the actual wound begins to swell. Antibiotics and antihistamines may be used to reduce swelling and make removal of the worm easier.

After a Guinea worm is removed, many people are left with permanent scarring and/or permanent crippling. Unfortunately, most people in infested villages will continue to contract Guinea worm disease year after year.

How to prevent Guinea worm

Guinea worm infection can be avoided by using only filtered water or water that has been obtained from a safe source. Even water from ponds and wells can be boiled and filtered through cloth to kill the Guinea worm larvae. Water can also be treated with a larvae-killing chemical. In addition, people with open Guinea worm wounds should stay away from ponds or wells that are used for drinking water.

About Hookworm

Hookworm or “Hook Worm” is an intestinal parasite that can infect humans and animals. The hookworm species most common to humans is Ancylostoma duodenale (an-cy-CLO-sto-ma doe-AH-den-al) and Necator americanus (ne-KAY-tor am-er-i-CON-us). These species can be found around the world, but are primarily found tropical or subtropical climates. In the United States, hookworm can be found in the Southeastern United States. While hookworm can be found in the Southeastern states, it is important to note that the species is very well controlled. This means that it is no longer a common occurrence in the U.S.

If you have a hookworm infection, you may have become infected from direct contact with contaminated soil, possibly by walking barefoot or you may have accidentally swallowed contaminated soil. Feces from an infected person or animal may contaminate soil or “night soil” (commonly used to fertilize crops) can carry hookworm eggs. If the conditions are warm and moist, the eggs will hatch into larvae.

The larvae are not visible to the naked eye. So if you’re walking barefoot through the soil, you will not see the larvae on your feet. According to OptumHealth, “the larvae will bore through the skin and ride through the lymph circulation to the right side of the heart. The larvae are then pumped into the lungs. There they bore into the tiny air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs. Their presence within the lungs usually causes enough irritation to produce coughing. The larvae are coughed up into the throat and mouth, and are then swallowed and passed into the small intestine.” The journey typically takes a week. Once the larvae reach the small intestine, they develop into half-inch-long worms. They attach themselves to hosts intestinal wall and they suck the blood, usually between 0.03-0.2 ml of blood per day. A single adult worm can live for up to 14 years in the infected person’s intestine.

Children have the highest risk of hookworm infection because they play in the dirt and they are barefoot more often than adults. Fortunately, hookworm is not spread person to person. Symptoms of hookworm include:

• Rash
• Itching
• Anemia
• Abdominal Pain
• Diarrhea
• Loss of Appetite
• Tiredness
• Difficulty Breathing
• Weight Loss

Severe hookworm infections can cause stunted growth and mental development, protein deficiency, and congestive heart failure.

If you think you may have hookworm, contact a physician immediately. The physician will take a stool sample to identify hookworm. Once a diagnosis is made, your physician will prescribe antibiotics to kill the infection. Treatment typically lasts 1-3 days. If you have anemia as a result of hookworm infection, your physician may prescribe iron supplements.

The best way to prevent hookworm is to refrain from walking barefoot in soil. It’s best not to make direct contact with soil using your hands as well. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly remove of any soil residue.

It is important to keep in mind that the vast majority of the more than 1.3 billion hookworm infections reported each year occur in underdeveloped countries. This does not mean that you cannot become infected if you live in say, France or the U.S. It just means that it is less likely to occur in countries such as these.

While it is true that human parasites do exist, chances are, a six-twelve inch worm will not come wriggling out of anyone’s head or nose, especially if they live in a developed country. Continue reading to find out how to protect yourself against worm gags and hoaxes and also read on to find out all about the most common types of human worms and the not so common types, mainly the Guinea worm. The Guinea worm is quite scary, but if you’re reading this, you have a better chance of winning $380 million in the Texas lottery, than you do of being infected with this type of parasitic worm.

Worm Images and Video: Real or Hoax?

Websites will do anything to get traffic, even if it means scaring the pants off of unsuspecting surfers. True, humans can get worms, but extreme cases involving worms wriggling around eyeballs, exploding from a person’s head or escaping from the pores of an old woman are rare in developed countries. And, sensational cases are usually created by piecing together several unrelated medical cases and conditions to create a Weekly World News worthy story, in order to scare individuals into getting everything from unnecessary medical screenings to buying special lotions and medicines. So is there a way to tell fact from fiction when it comes to Internet images of worms in humans? Absolutely!

The vast majority of credible medical studies and stories will include an extensive list of verifiable sources. If the study or story includes images, each image will contain a verifiable credit as well. If you cannot verify a credit or a source, chances are the image is a hoax or nothing more than an urban legend. In some cases, the credit or source will take you to a real website that looks credible. Don’t stop there. Do some digging. Does the website have contact information? Do you get an answer when you call or a response back when you send an email? Can you find the company name online?

If the credits and sources link to a credible source like the University of Chicago Hospital, there will be solid evidence of the study, verifiable images, and contact information. To verify the study, story and/or the images, simply call or email the contact.

In addition to including verifiable sources, real images and cases do not typically resort to cartoon images and “photoshopped” images to add credibility. Fortunately, you can spot these types of images fairly easy. Click here to take a look at a few random “photoshopped” images. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about worms in humans.

The Truth About Worms in Humans

At any given time, the human body may be infected with dozens of different types of parasites, such as worms. Some parasites are microscopic while other worms in humans are quite visible to the naked eye. Certain types of parasites are found more often in animals, for example, the bloodworm typically infects horses. Other types of parasites may affect humans more often. In all, there are more than 3,200 types of parasites in existence today and they are divided into the following categories: Cestoda, Nematoda, Protozoa, and Trematoda.

Just a few of the different types of parasites that may infect humans include: tapeworms, (Cestodes); hookworms, pinworms, and roundworms (Nematodes); giardia (Protozoa); and flat worms, (Trematoda).

The most common type of worm in humans is the roundworm. It is estimated that one in every four humans is infected with roundworms. It is important to keep in mind, however, that parasites rarely cause any serious (or fatal) complications in Europe and North America. No matter what type of worm the human body may be infected with, whether it’s a bloodworm that somehow made its way into the human digestive system (extremely rare) or a roundworm, the vast majority of parasites cause some of the same unpleasant symptoms. Symptoms of parasites or worms in humans may include:

• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal discomfort
• Rashes
• Insomnia
• Eye pain
• Protein deficiency
• Gas
• Constipation
• Mental dullness
• Fever
• Coughing
• Nervousness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Anemia
• Stomach bloating
• Bloody stools
• Weakness
• Chills
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue

It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms are also common symptoms for many other diseases and conditions, so its best to consult a physician for an accurate diagnosis. A physician will test for parasites by taking a feces sample and examining it for parasites and/or eggs. Fortunately, the vast majority of parasites can be eliminated by using some of the same methods or by ingesting some of the same types of medications or antibiotics.

Parasites can be eliminated from the body through the use of colon cleansers and/or colonics, several rounds of antibiotics or medications as prescribed by a physician, and/or by utilizing a number of different herbal or natural remedies. It’s best to consult an herbalist for the very best herbal remedies to get rid of worms in humans. That said, there are several popular (and effective) remedies consisting of the following combinations of herbs and ingredients:

• Black walnut leaves, wormwood, quassia, cloves, male fern
• Capsicum, wormwood, sage
• Cramp bark, pumpkin seed, capsicum, thyme, garlic
• Black walnut, pine needles, sassafras

In general, herbal remedies should be taken orally for a minimum of two weeks.

Some individuals may complain of re-infection. It is very important to change your eating habits immediately if you suspect a parasite or worm infection. It’s best not to go back to your regular eating habits in order to prevent re-infection. Certain foods, spices, and beverages might help to ward off parasite infections or to keep you from becoming infected through food or water sources. These include:

• Cranberry juice
• High-fiber foods
• Pumpkin seeds
• Garlic
• Pomegranates
• Apple cider vinegar
• Figs
• Bottled or distilled water
• Thoroughly cooked meats and seafood
• Organic fruits and vegetables, washed thoroughly

Avoid the following foods and activities if at all possible:

• Undercooked meats
• Chestnuts
• Sugar
• Watercress
• Refined carbohydrates
• Swimming in lakes, rivers, an streams
• Using the microwave to cook meats

And finally, never underestimate the power of clean hands! You should always wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom whether it is in your home or in a public place. In addition, wash kitchen utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after each use and wear gloves when changing your cats litter box or cleaning up after your pets.

All About the Guinea Worm

Also called, dracunculiasis (pronounced: dra-KUNK-you-LIE-uh-sis), Guinea worm is a parasitic worm infection that occurs mainly in Africa. In fact, more than half of all cases of Guinea worm disease are reported from the southern Sudan region. Each year, 1,000 cases of Guinea worm disease are also reported in countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and Uganda. Countries where less than 1,000 cases of the disease are reported include: Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Senegal.

Guinea worm is more common in poor rural African villages that are not frequented by tourists. While the infection occurs mostly in Africa, the disease can also be found in Yemen, and some of the most remote villages in the Rajastan desert of India.

What Causes Guinea Worm?

Guinea worm is caused by a threadlike parasitic worm that grows and matures inside the human body. The worm is called Dracunculus medinensis. Dracunculus medinensis is as thin as a paper clip and it can grow up to a staggering three feet long. Once the larvae mature inside the human body, the Guinea worm exits the body through a painful blister in the skin. This can cause long-term suffering and oftentimes, crippling aftereffects.

How is Guinea worm contracted?

People may become infected with Guinea worm after drinking standing water that contains a tiny water flea. The flea might be infected with the tiny larvae of the Guinea worm. The tiny larvae pierce the intestinal, mature into adulthood, then mate during the course of a year. Once the males die off, the female makes her way through the body where she will grow up to as much as three feet. The female will eventually end up near the surface of the skin, typically in the lower limbs.

Symptoms of Guinea worm

Guinea worms cause intense swelling and painful, burning blisters. In most cases, the infected will seek out water to soothe the pain. In poor rural African villages, “water” usually means nearby ponds and wells. Once the sufferer enters the water, the blisters will burst and the worm will emerge releasing millions of new larvae into the water. Once the larvae have been released into the water, they are then swallowed by tiny water fleas and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

Other symptoms of Guinea worm include: fever and infection. Most symptoms of Guinea worm do not develop until a year after a person has ingested contaminated water.

Guinea worm diagnosis and treatment

Guinea worm can be detected by sight. The adult worm can be seen protruding from a skin sore. While there is no cure for Guinea worm or medications to prevent infection, there are several methods to remove the worms. The Guinea worm can be removed a little at a time by winding it around a small stick and pulling it out. In some cases, the process will take only a few days, in others it might take a few weeks or even a few months. In some cases, Guinea worm can be surgically removed before the actual wound begins to swell. Antibiotics and antihistamines may be used to reduce swelling and make removal of the worm easier.

After a Guinea worm is removed, many people are left with permanent scarring and/or permanent crippling. Unfortunately, most people in infested villages will contract Guinea worm disease year after year.

How to prevent Guinea worm

Guinea worm infection can be avoided by using only filtered water or water that has been obtained from a safe source. Even water from ponds and wells can be boiled and filtered through cloth to kill the Guinea worm larvae. Water can also be treated with a larvae-killing chemical. In addition, people with open Guinea worm wounds should stay away from ponds or wells that are used for drinking water.

The most common type of human intestinal worm is the roundworm. It is estimated that one in every four humans is infected with roundworms. It is important to keep in mind, however, that parasites rarely cause any serious (or fatal) complications in Europe and North America. No matter what type of worm or how the worm ends up in the human body, whether it’s a bloodworm that somehow made its way into the human digestive system (extremely rare) or a roundworm, the vast majority of human intestinal worms may cause:

Loss of appetite
Abdominal discomfort
Rashes
Insomnia
Eye pain
Protein deficiency
Gas
Constipation
Mental dullness
Fever
Coughing
Nervousness
Vomiting
Nausea
Anemia
Stomach bloating
Bloody stools
Weakness
Chills
Diarrhea
Fatigue

It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms are also common symptoms for many other diseases and conditions, so its best to consult a physician for an accurate diagnosis. A physician will test for parasites by taking a feces sample and examining it for parasites and/or eggs. Fortunately, the vast majority of parasites can be eliminated by using some of the same methods or by ingesting some of the same types of medications or antibiotics.

Parasites can be eliminated from the body through the use of colon cleansers and/or colonics, several rounds of antibiotics or medications as prescribed by a physician, and/or by utilizing a number of different herbal or natural remedies. It’s best to consult an herbalist for the very best herbal remedies to get rid of human intestinal worms. That said, there are several popular (and effective) remedies consisting of the following combinations of herbs and ingredients:

·Black walnut leaves, wormwood, quassia, cloves, male fern
·Capsicum, wormwood, sage
·Cramp bark, pumpkin seed, capsicum, thyme, garlic
·Black walnut, pine needles, sassafras

In general, herbal remedies should be taken orally for a minimum of two weeks.

Some individuals may complain of re-infection. It is very important to change your eating habits immediately if you suspect a parasite or worm infection. It’s best not to go back to your regular eating habits in order to prevent re-infection. Certain foods, spices, and beverages might help to ward off parasite infections or to keep you from becoming infected through food or water sources. These include:

Cranberry juice
High-fiber foods
Pumpkin seeds
Garlic
Pomegranates
Apple cider vinegar
Figs
Bottled or distilled water
Thoroughly cooked meats and seafood
Organic fruits and vegetables, washed thoroughly

Avoid the following foods and activities if at all possible:

Undercooked meats
Chestnuts
Sugar
Watercress
Refined carbohydrates
Swimming in lakes, rivers, an streams
Using the microwave to cook meats

And finally, never underestimate the power of clean hands! You should always wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom whether it is in your home or in a public place. In addition, wash kitchen utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after each use and wear gloves when changing your cats litter box or cleaning up after your pets.

Guinea worm is more common in poor rural African villages that are not frequented by tourists. While the infection occurs mostly in Africa, the disease can also be found in Yemen, and some of the most remote villages in the Rajastan desert of India.

What causes Guinea worm?

Guinea worm is caused by a threadlike parasitic worm that grows and matures inside the human body. The worm is called Dracunculus medinensis. Dracunculus medinensis is as thin as a paper clip and it can grow up to a staggering three feet long. Once the larvae mature inside the human body, the Guinea worm exits the body through a painful blister in the skin. This can cause long-term suffering and oftentimes, crippling aftereffects.

How is Guinea worm contracted?

People may become infected with Guinea worm after drinking standing water that contains a tiny water flea. The flea might be infected with the tiny larvae of the Guinea worm. The tiny larvae pierce the intestinal, mature into adulthood, then mate during the course of a year. Once the males die off, the female makes her way through the body where she will grow up to as much as three feet. The female will eventually end up near the surface of the skin, typically in the lower limbs.

Symptoms of Guinea worm

Guinea worms cause intense swelling and painful, burning blisters. In most cases, the infected will seek out water to soothe the pain. In poor rural African villages, “water” usually means nearby ponds and wells. Once the sufferer enters the water, the blisters will burst and the worm will emerge releasing millions of new larvae into the water. Once the larvae have been released into the water, they are then swallowed by tiny water fleas and the vicious cycle starts all over again.

Other symptoms of Guinea worm include: fever and infection. Most symptoms of Guinea worm do not develop until a year after a person has ingested contaminated water.

Guinea worm diagnosis and treatment

Guinea worm can be detected by sight. The adult worm can be seen protruding from a skin sore. While there is no cure for Guinea worm or medications to prevent infection, there are several methods to remove the worms. The Guinea worm can be removed a little at a time by winding it around a small stick and pulling it out. In some cases, the process will take only a few days, in others it might take a few weeks or even a few months. In some cases, Guinea worm can be surgically removed before the actual wound begins to swell. Antibiotics and antihistamines may be used to reduce swelling and make removal of the worm easier.

After a Guinea worm is removed, many people are left with permanent scarring and/or permanent crippling. Unfortunately, most people in infested villages will contract Guinea worm disease year after year.

How to prevent Guinea worm

Guinea worm infection can be avoided by using only filtered water or water that has been obtained from a safe source. Even water from ponds and wells can be boiled and filtered through cloth to kill the Guinea worm larvae. Water can also be treated with a larvae-killing chemical. In addition, people with open Guinea worm wounds should stay away from ponds or wells that are used for drinking water.

In all, there are more than 3,200 types of identifiable parasites or worms. These thousands of worms and parasites are divided into four categories including: Cestoda, Nematoda, Protozoa, and Trematoda. Just a few of the different types of parasites that may infect humans include: tapeworms, (Cestodes); hookworms, pinworms, and roundworms (Nematodes); giardia (Protozoa); and flat worms, (Trematoda).

The most common type of human worm is the roundworm. It is estimated that one in every four humans is infected with roundworms. It is important to keep in mind, however, that human worms rarely result in death in Europe and North America. No matter what type of worm the human body may be infected with, whether it’s a bloodworm that somehow made its way into your system (extremely rare) or a roundworm, the vast majority of human worms can cause some of the same unpleasant symptoms. Symptoms of human worms may include:

·Loss of appetite
·Abdominal discomfort
·Rashes
·Insomnia
·Eye pain
·Protein deficiency
·Gas
·Constipation
·Mental dullness
·Fever
·Coughing
·Nervousness
·Vomiting
·Nausea
·Anemia
·Stomach bloating
·Bloody stools
·Weakness
·Chills
·Diarrhea
·Fatigue

It is important to keep in mind that these symptoms are also common symptoms for many other diseases and conditions, so its best to consult your physician for an accurate diagnosis. Your physician will test for parasites by taking a feces sample and examining it for parasites and/or eggs. Fortunately, the vast majority of parasites can be eliminated by using some of the same methods or by ingesting some of the same types of medications or antibiotics.

Human worms can be eliminated from the body through the use of colon cleansers and/or colonics, several rounds of antibiotics or medications as prescribed by your physician, and/or by utilizing a number of different herbal/natural remedies. It’s best to consult an herbalist for the very best herbal remedies to get rid of human worms and other human parasites. There are, however, several popular and effective remedies consisting of the following combinations of herbs and ingredients:

·Black walnut leaves, wormwood, quassia, cloves, male fern
·Capsicum, wormwood, sage
·Cramp bark, pumpkin seed, capsicum, thyme, garlic
·Black walnut, pine needles, sassafras

Herbal remedies should be taken orally for a minimum of two weeks.

Some individuals may complain of re-infection. It is so important to change your eating habits immediately if you suspect a parasite infection and it’s best not to go back to your regular eating habits in order to prevent re-infection. There are certain foods, spices, and beverages that can help ward off parasite infections or keep you from becoming infected through food or water sources. These include:

·Cranberry juice
·High-fiber foods
·Pumpkin seeds
·Garlic
·Pomegranates
·Apple cider vinegar
·Figs
·Bottled or distilled water
·Thoroughly cooked meats and seafood
·Organic fruits and vegetables, washed thoroughly

Avoid the following foods and activities if at all possible:

·Undercooked meats
·Chestnuts
·Sugar
·Watercress
·Refined carbohydrates
·Swimming in lakes, rivers, streams
·Using the microwave to cook meats

And finally, never underestimate the power of clean hands. You should always wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom whether it is in your home or in a public place; wash kitchen utensils and countertops with hot soapy water after each use; and wear gloves when changing your cats litter box or cleaning up after your pets.

The life and survival of the Guinea worm is unique in many ways, often requiring a year for full development of the parasite. The cycle of the Guinea worm begins with the female, often measuring upward of a meter in length while barely 2mm in diameter. The female worms are found in or under the skin of the host: humans. As the female nears the later stages of pregnancy, she begins to fill with numerous embryos; the female is usually found in the feet, ankles, or legs. The female’s body ruptures, releasing the juvenile worms into the host’s skin and resulting in an intense and painful allergic reaction, eventually forming a papule or cyst on the skin. In time, the papule bursts open, exposing the juvenile worms and female worm providing the opportunity to move to another host. Human hosts infected with the guinea worm often use water to cleanse the infection and soothe the pain, providing the parasite the opportunity to transfer to water. An intermediate host, a copepod, eats the guinea worm and drinking this same water infects the human host.

The cycle is by no means over, however. Once the parasite is back in the human host, the juvenile worms travel from the intestinal tract, through the abdominal cavity, and into the subcutaneous connective tissues. Here, the males fertilize the females, and the males die. The females will then migrate to the surface, the skin, develop further and reach sexual maturity, and finally start the process all over again.

As would be expected, serious complications occur from the dracunuliasis. The sores that are produced when the skin ruptures, are often susceptible to bacterial infections and abscesses. At times, the worm may not find its way to the skin, and areas around joints are prey to chronic arthritis. Because there is no vaccine or immunity to infection, humans are often re-infected. And while there a variety of drugs used to treat dracunuliasis, the most common form of treatment is to simply attach the female worm to a stick and wind.

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