Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


0

Docs Close to Stamping Out Guinea Worm

Worldwide campaign may eradicate the second disease ever

Share

(Newser) – In a campaign led by Jimmy Carter, world public health authorities have decreased the incidence of guinea worm disease (formally known as dracunculiasis) from 3.5 million cases in 1986 to just over 25,000 in 2006. Guinea worm is a parasite transmitted through water to humans that causes excruciating pain when its larvae emerge from the skin.

The disease is being brought under control without any vaccine or drug therapy, but through a combination of education, the use of a fine mesh cloth to strain water and chemicals applied to water sources to kill the parasite.

WORLD NEWS GUINEAWORM 2 TB
WORLD NEWS GUINEAWORM 2 TB   (KRT Photos)
GHANA. 1989. Former President Jimmy CARTER in the village of Danchira. (NYC25445)
GHANA. 1989. Former President Jimmy CARTER in the village of Danchira. (NYC25445)   (Magnum Photos)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
0 comments
VIEWING:
 
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

48 Stories

 Green Spaces 
 Make You Healthier 

People who live near vegetation suffer fewer diseases

Oct 15, 09 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - People who live close to parks or other “green spaces” are likely to be healthier, a new study suggests. Dutch researchers scoured the health records of 345,000 people, comparing their health status to the amount of green space in the surrounding area, from a half-mile to 2-mile radius.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
environment • health • depression • disease • nature • health study • green home • Texas A&M

 Time-Starved Working 
 Parents Eat Poorly: Study 

Low-income work schedules make healthy eating difficult

Sep 10, 09 2:59 PM CDT
(Newser) - The nature of low-income employment promotes unhealthy eating, Time reports. Over half of working parents in low-to-moderate income communities relied on dietary “coping” measures when their schedules couldn’t accommodate a full meal, according to a new Cornell University study. Those strategies included skipping breakfast or family meals,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
obesity • parenting • health • obesity epidemic • public health • diet • unemployment • Cornell University • healthy eating • job • dinner

 Website Predicts 
 Your Odds of Dying 

Risk based on age, gender

Aug 27, 09 10:14 AM CDT
(Newser) - Feeling morbid? A new website will give you your odds of dying in the next year, LiveScience reports. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon came up with DeathRiskRanking.com. Input some basic info—age, gender, place of residence—and the site spits out when and of what you're likely to die. "... More »

MORE ABOUT:
technology • health • public health • death • website • mortality • odds

48 Stories


Science & Health 
TwitterFollow @Newser on Twitter

 
health • Jimmy Carter • disease • public health • dracunculiasis • guinea worm • parasite • larvae

from our news partners