Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2012 Jul;5(7):505-10. doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(12)60088-1.
Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) is a preventable waterborne parasitic disease that affects the poorest people living in remote rural areas in sub-Saharan African countries, who do not have access to safe drinking water. The Guinea Worm Eradication Program, a 25-year old campaign to rid the world of Guinea Worm disease has now reached its final stage accelerating to zero cases in all endemic countries. During the 19th and 20th centuries, dracunculiasis was common in much of Southern Asia and the African continent. The overall number of cases has been reduced tremendously by ≥99%, from the 3.32 million cases estimated to have occurred in 1986 in Africa to only 1,797 cases reported in 2010 reported in only five countries (Sudan, Mali, Ethiopia, Chad and Ghana) and Asia free of the disease. This achievement is unique in its kind--the only previously eradicated disease is smallpox, a viral infection for which vaccination was possible--and it has been achieved through primary community-based prevention and health education programs. Most efforts need to be taken in two countries, South Sudan (comprising 94% or 1,698 out of 1,797 of the cases reported world-wide in 2010) and Mali because of frequent movements of nomads in a vast area inside and outside Mali's borders. All factors favourable to dracunculiasis eradication are available including adequate financial resources, community and political support and high levels of advocacy. Thus there is no reason that this disabling parasitic disease cannot be eradicated soon before surprises arise such as new civil conflicts in currently endemic countries.
麦地那龙线虫病（几内亚虫病）是一种可预防的水传播寄生虫病，影响到撒哈拉以南非洲国家偏远农村地区的最贫困人口，这些人无法获得安全饮用水。根除麦地那龙线虫病规划是一项为期 25 年的运动，旨在消除世界上的麦地那龙线虫病，目前已进入最后阶段，加速在所有流行国家实现零病例。19 世纪和 20 世纪，麦地那龙线虫病在南亚和非洲大陆的大部分地区很常见。通过以社区为基础的初级预防和健康教育方案，全球病例总数已大大减少了≥99%，从 1986 年非洲估计的 332 万例降至 2010 年仅报告的 5 个国家（苏丹、马里、埃塞俄比亚、乍得和加纳）和无病亚洲的 1797 例。这一成就独一无二——唯一以前被消灭的疾病是天花，天花是一种可通过疫苗接种预防的病毒感染——这是通过以社区为基础的初级预防和健康教育方案实现的。由于在马里境内和境外大片地区游牧民频繁流动，大多数努力需要在两个国家，即南苏丹（占 2010 年全世界报告的 1797 例病例的 94%，即 1698 例）和马里开展。有利于麦地那龙线虫病消灭的所有因素都已具备，包括充足的财政资源、社区和政治支持以及高度的宣传。因此，在目前流行国家出现新的内战等意外情况之前，没有理由不能很快消灭这种使人丧失能力的寄生虫病。
