Inktober 2019: Day 20 - Tread

Dracunculus medinensis female emerging from foot.

Dracunculus medinensis, aka the Guinea worm, is a parasite found in poor, remote parts of Africa with stagnant water sources. People become infected by drinking from these water sources. Once inside a host, the Guinea worm larva penetrate the stomach and intestinal wall where they mature and reproduce. The female Guinea worm migrates to the skin surface, causing a painful, burning blister to form. This blister eventually ruptures, exposing the worm. The infected person might submerge the blister in water to relieve discomfort, upon doing so, the Guinea worm releases hundreds of thousands of larvae into the water.

dracunculus vulgaris

lirio vudú

This is hardy perennial becomes a woody shrub, normally about three tall. Tarragon is a species of perennial herb in the sunflower family and it is widespread in the wild across much of Eurasia and North America, and is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes in many lands. It is long, slender, dark green leaves have a strong, slightly licorice like flavor that you either enjoy or you…

Dracunculiasis is infection with Dracunculus medinensis, a nematode worm. It is caused by drinking water containing water fleas (Cyclops species) that have ingested Dracunculus larvae.

In the human body, the larvae are released and migrate through the intestinal wall into body tissues, where they develop into adult worms. The female worms move through the person’s subcutaneous tissue, causing intense pain, and eventually emerge through the skin, usually at the feet, producing oedema, a blister and eventually an ulcer, accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting. If they come into contact with water as they are emerging, the female worms discharge their larvae, setting in motion a new life cycle.

There are no drugs available for the treatment of this disease. However, it can be prevented by protecting water sources and filtering potentially contaminated water.

Source.