Overview
Dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease, is a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm Dracunculus medinensis. People become infected by drinking stagnant water contaminated with tiny water fleas (copepods) that carry the larvae of the Guinea worm. Once swallowed, the larvae are released in the stomach, penetrate the intestinal wall, and mature inside the body over about one year. The adult female worm, which can grow up to one meter (about three feet) long, migrates to the skin — usually in the legs or feet — and creates a painful blister. When the blister bursts, the worm slowly emerges through the skin, causing intense burning pain, swelling, and secondary bacterial infections. Key symptoms include a painful blister or ulcer on the lower limbs, fever, nausea, and swelling around the area where the worm is emerging. Secondary infections at the wound site can lead to serious complications such as abscess formation, joint infections (septic arthritis), and permanent disability. There is no vaccine or medication to prevent or treat Guinea worm disease. The traditional treatment involves slowly and carefully winding the emerging worm around a small stick over days to weeks, combined with wound care and antibiotics for secondary infections. Thanks to a massive global eradication campaign led by The Carter Center and the World Health Organization, dracunculiasis is on the verge of being eliminated worldwide, with only a handful of human cases reported each year in a few remaining countries.
Key symptoms:
Painful blister on the leg or footA long, thin worm emerging slowly through the skinIntense burning or stinging sensation at the blister siteSwelling around the woundFeverNausea or vomitingRedness and warmth around the affected areaSecondary bacterial infection of the woundAbscess formation near the worm exit siteJoint pain or stiffness if the worm migrates near a jointDifficulty walking due to pain and swellingItching or allergic reaction before the blister forms
Clinical phenotype terms (15)— hover any for plain English
Variable
Can begin at different ages, from infancy through adulthood
FDA & Trial Timeline
1 eventUniversity College Dublin — NA
Data sourced from FDA regulatory filings and ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated periodically.
Treatments
No FDA-approved treatments are currently listed for Dracunculiasis.
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View all trials with filters →No actively recruiting trials found for Dracunculiasis at this time.
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Rare Disease Specialist
Treatment Centers
8 centersBaylor College of Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🏥 NORDStanford Medicine Rare Disease Center ↗
Stanford Medicine
📍 Stanford, CA
🔬 UDNNIH Clinical Center Undiagnosed Diseases Program ↗
National Institutes of Health
📍 Bethesda, MD
🔬 UDNUCLA UDN Clinical Site ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
🔬 UDNBaylor College of Medicine UDN Clinical Site ↗
Baylor College of Medicine
📍 Houston, TX
🔬 UDNHarvard/MGH UDN Clinical Site ↗
Massachusetts General Hospital
📍 Boston, MA
🏥 NORDMayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine ↗
Mayo Clinic
📍 Rochester, MN
👤 Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine
🏥 NORDUCLA Rare Disease Day Program ↗
UCLA Health
📍 Los Angeles, CA
Travel Grants
No travel grants are currently matched to Dracunculiasis.
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Disease timeline:
New trial: Prophylactic Surfactant by Thin Endotracheal Catheter for Preterm Infants At Birth: the ProTeCt Tria
Phase NA trial recruiting. Thin catheter surfactant
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Questions for your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment
- Q1.How long will it take to fully remove the worm, and what should I expect during the process?,What are the signs of a secondary infection I should watch for?,Are there any medications that can help with the pain and swelling?,What should I do if the worm breaks during extraction?,How can I make sure my family and I don't get infected again?,Will I have any long-term problems after the worm is removed?,Should I receive a tetanus vaccination as part of my wound care?
Common questions about Dracunculiasis
What is Dracunculiasis?
Dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease, is a parasitic infection caused by the roundworm Dracunculus medinensis. People become infected by drinking stagnant water contaminated with tiny water fleas (copepods) that carry the larvae of the Guinea worm. Once swallowed, the larvae are released in the stomach, penetrate the intestinal wall, and mature inside the body over about one year. The adult female worm, which can grow up to one meter (about three feet) long, migrates to the skin — usually in the legs or feet — and creates a painful blister. When the blister bursts, the worm slowly
Which specialists treat Dracunculiasis?
16 specialists and care centers treating Dracunculiasis are listed on UniteRare, sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov principal investigators, published research, and the NPPES NPI registry.