Drancunculus Medinensis

Drancunculus Medinensis

Classification-

Kingdom-animalia , Subkingdom-metazoa , Phylum- Nemathelminthes , Class- Nematoda , Order- Spirurida ,

Family- Dracunculidae ,Genus- Dracunculus , Species- Drancunculus Medinensis

Morphology- Dracunculus medinensis is similar to the filarids. The females measure up to 120 cm long and 2 mm wide and the males 2 cm. The worms mature in the connective tissue; gravid females then migrate to the subcutaneous tissue where they cause ulcers through which larvae are released when the lesion is immersed in water. Larvae are ingested by copepods and develop into infective larvae in 2 weeks.

Life Cycle –

Causes dracunculiasis or Guinea worm disease.

1. Human drinks unfiltered water with copepods having L3 larvae.

2. Larvae are released when copepods die.Larvae penetrate the hosts stomach and intestinal wall. They mature and reproduce in subcutaneous tissue.

3. Fertilized female worm migrates to surface of skin causes a blister and discharge larvae.

4. L1 larvae released into water from the emerging female worm.

5. L1 larvae consumed by a cepepods .

6. Larvae undergoes 2 molts in the copepod and become L3 larvae.

Symptoms and Diagnosis-

Dracunculus medinensis infection causes a broad spectrum of nonspecific symptoms-

1. Eosinophilia

2. Nausea

3. Diarrhea

4. asthma, and fainting.

These symptoms are believed to result from absorption of metabolic wastes produced by female worms during papule formation. In addition, cutaneous ulcers caused by female worms are common sites for secondary bacterial and fungal infections that often produce permanent scars and muscle damage.

Appearance of localized blisters or ulcers or microscopical identification of the female worm, especially the protruded head, or larvae constitute diagnosis. X-ray examination may reveal calcified worms. An ELISA test is available, but its use to date has been limited.

Prevention –

- Practice of bathing and washing in sources of drinking water be discontinued. Water suspected of being contaminated should be boiled or filtered before use and, whenever possible, drinking water should be obtained from water which are usually free of copepods.

Chemical treatments of water with chlorine or copper sulfate to destroy copepods is an alternative. The latest treatment has been the use of the insecticide Abate. The latter treatment has already proven so successful that an end to guinea worm disease is predicted for the very near future.

By – Raj Patel , Kalpesh Prajapat , Khushi vaishnav , Abhishek upadhyay

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