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The Conversation
The Conversation
Kimberly Paul, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Clemson University

Guinea worm: A nasty parasite is nearly eradicated, but the push for zero cases will require patience

Guinea worms are long, white parasites that emerge from the legs of infected people through painful blisters. CDC/Wikimedia Commons

A painful, parasitic disease that once infected 3.5 million people per year is tantalizingly close to being eradicated.

On Jan. 24, 2023, The Carter Center, a nonprofit founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, announced that “Guinea worm is poised to become the second human disease in history to be eradicated,” having recorded just 12 cases worldwide in 2022. It represents the lowest annual figure since 1986, when the Carter Center began leading global efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease.

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