GUINEA WORM 6:05:00 PM

Condition: Guinea worm, also known as Dracunculiasis, is a crippling condition caused by a water-borne parasite. Between 1986 and 2008, the prevalence of the disease dropped from 3.5 million to 5,000. However, it continues to be endemic in 6 African countries. Guinea worm is one of the oldest recorded diseases, and it has been found in calcified Egyptian mummies.
Causes: The primary cause of guinea worm is a lack of clean water. Guinea worm larvae are present in contaminated water sources, and are eaten by a water flea. When a person drinks the water, they also ingest the flea and the larvae. Once inside the stomach, the flea is consumed by stomach acid, but the larvae remains and migrates throughout the body tissues. After approximately one year, the guinea worm is fully mature, and it emerges through a painful blister in one of the lower extremities. People often submerge the affected extremity in a water source to relieve the pain, and when they do so, the mature worm releases thousands of larvae into the water source, thus continuing the cycle.
Effects: As stated before, when the guinea worm begins to emerge from the skin, it is extremely painful for the victim. They often experience fever and intense burning and itching. Due to the pain, people are unable to work or attend school for up to three months. In agricultural areas, this means food shortages, lower earnings, and detrimental effects on local economies.
Treatment: Once a person is infected with guinea worm, treatment is gruesome. As the worm, which is several centimeters long and has the circumference of a spaghetti noodle, emerges from the body, a health care professional must pull it a few millimeters each day until it is freed from the body. This painful process can take several weeks, during which time victims are often unable to walk. Obviously, prevention is key, and behavioral changes are crucial. Prevention
efforts include improved water supply, the use of water filters, and community education. There are numerous international campaigns to prevent guinea worm, and it is hoped to be completely eradicated in the very near future.
Recent News about Guinea Worm:
Head of State Says Nigeria Has Conquered Guinea Worm
Ghana On Course to Eradicate Guinea Worm
End in Sight for Guinea Worm

If YOU want to do something about Guinea Worm, YOU can support these organizations:
The Carter Center
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Living Water International

DIARRHEA 8:51:00 PM

Condition: Diarrhea. Believe it or not, diarrhea causes over 2 million deaths per year. It is the second leading cause of death in children worldwide. Diarrhea is dangerous because it causes dehydration, an often fatal condition. It is most common in Southeast Asia and in Africa.
Causes: Diarrhea is caused by viral infections, parasites, or bacteria. These microorganisms are spread primarily through contaminated drinking water. Poor personal and food hygiene, lack of access to sanitation facilities, and lack of basic health education propagate the spread of the condition. Poverty is a major social factor that contributes to the spread of diarrhea, as it is most common in the developing world.
Effects: Dehydration is the most dangerous effect of diarrhea. When a person has frequent, loose bowel movements, they lose water, along with other important nutrients. Symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, headaches, decreased blood pressure, sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, and dimmed vision. Eventually, it is fatal.
Treatment: Obviously, the most effective treatment for diarrhea would be prevention. However, in many parts of the world where access to clean water is scarce, complete prevention would be nearly impossible. However, when a person is suffering from dehydration, the treatment is simple. It is called oral re-hydration therapy (ORT), and it consists of a pinch of salt, a handful of sugar, and a liter of water. In addition, zinc tablets have recently been found to play a significant role in treating diarrhea. Although prevention would be ideal, zinc, coupled with ORT, is an extremely cheap, simple, and effective treatment for diarrhea and subsequent dehydration. The cost is less than $0.30 per child, yet millions of children continue to die from this condition every year.

Recent News about Diarrhea:
Can One Pill Tame the Illness No One Wants to Talk About?
Diarrhea Death Toll Reaches 58 in Just One District in Nepal
Diarrhea, Still 2nd Leading Cause of Death Among Children

If YOU want to do something about Diarrhea, YOU can support these organizations:
Save the Children
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
U.S. Agency for International Development
Living Water International

RIVER BLINDNESS 2:09:00 PM

young children leading blind adults.

Disease: Onchocerciasis, more commonly known as River Blindness, is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the world. It is an infection caused by a parasitic worm, and it is spread through the bite of the black fly. There are currently 37 million people infected with the parasite, and 99% of those people live in sub-Saharan Africa.
How it's spread: As the black fly (the vector) bites an infected person, the worms travel from the infected person to the body of the fly. The black fly then bites another person, and the worms travel from the fly to the second person. A person must be bitten more than once, however, to contract the infection. Once inside the body, the worms mate and create millions of offspring, which invade various parts of the body, including the eyes. As the offspring die off, the body has an inflammatory response. On the skin, this response causes severe rashes, and in the eyes, it causes blindness.
Effects: The social and economic effects of this infection are tremendous. Adults are unable to work because of visual impairment, and children are unable to go to school because they must help their parents. The cycle of poor education, poverty, and bad health continues, and entire communities ultimately suffer.
Cure: One dose per year of a drug called Ivermectin prevents the worms from reproducing in the body, and thus prevents the onset of symptoms and further transmission. The drug company Merck currently donates doses of the drug in many countries. To date, they have donated over 600 million doses. Although the treatment is so simple and economical, millions of people continue to suffer.
Recent news about River Blindness:
River Blindness Can Be Eradicated
River Blindness Can Be Stopped by Drugs

If YOU want to help do something about River Blindness, YOU can support these organizations:
The Carter Center
Helen Keller International (be sure to type in “Onchocerciasis” in the "Program to Support" field)
Living Water International