Biosphere Journal Entry

Biosphere Journal Entry

Guinea Worm Wiped Out in Nigeria (March 15, 2010)

There's good news from Nigeria. The Carter Center says the nation is the latest in Africa to wipe out the horrible Guinea worm. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) will wait two years before officially declaring victory in the war against the parasite, it's reason to celebrate just the same. Nigeria was one of the nations hit hardest by the nasty worms. Less than twenty years ago, more than 600,000 Nigerians were infected.

Guinea worms are roundworms resembling long strands of clear spaghetti. People get them from drinking water infested with microscopic crustaceans called copepods that carry worm larvae. Once inside the body, the worms burrow deep into body tissue, usually in the lower legs or feet. They can grow to lengths of three feet (one meter). Eventually, they burst through painful blisters on the skin. The burning sensation that victims experience is why the disease is known as the "fiery serpent." Some victims suffer long-term pain or crippling after-effects.

Much of the progress made fighting the worms is thanks to the work of the Carter Center. The center was started by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter in 1982 to improve the quality of life in developing nations. In the 1980s, there were over three million Guinea worm cases in twenty nations of Africa and Asia. Today, there are only about 3,000 known cases in four African countries, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Mali.