Jason Beaubien

All the worms, all their little eggs go out into the water and the whole cycle starts over again, infecting more people.

All the worms, all their little eggs go out into the water and the whole cycle starts over again, infecting more people.

All the worms, all their little eggs go out into the water and the whole cycle starts over again, infecting more people.

So the key from an eradication point of view is to break that reproductive cycle.

So the key from an eradication point of view is to break that reproductive cycle.

So the key from an eradication point of view is to break that reproductive cycle.

So this is one of the tragedies of this epic battle against guinea worm. You know, for decades, it was believed that humans were the only reservoir, basically the only hosts for this worm. And that the parasite needed that year-long period inside the human body to grow and reproduce. Unfortunately, as the numbers of cases dropped dramatically...

So this is one of the tragedies of this epic battle against guinea worm. You know, for decades, it was believed that humans were the only reservoir, basically the only hosts for this worm. And that the parasite needed that year-long period inside the human body to grow and reproduce. Unfortunately, as the numbers of cases dropped dramatically...

So this is one of the tragedies of this epic battle against guinea worm. You know, for decades, it was believed that humans were the only reservoir, basically the only hosts for this worm. And that the parasite needed that year-long period inside the human body to grow and reproduce. Unfortunately, as the numbers of cases dropped dramatically...

Researchers found that the worms were also turning up in some stray dogs and chads and fish, some other animals. So unfortunately, that complicates the eradication efforts because there's no longer just this one single place where you need to look. That said, the number of guinea worms that have been found in animals is quite small.

Researchers found that the worms were also turning up in some stray dogs and chads and fish, some other animals. So unfortunately, that complicates the eradication efforts because there's no longer just this one single place where you need to look. That said, the number of guinea worms that have been found in animals is quite small.

Researchers found that the worms were also turning up in some stray dogs and chads and fish, some other animals. So unfortunately, that complicates the eradication efforts because there's no longer just this one single place where you need to look. That said, the number of guinea worms that have been found in animals is quite small.

Yeah. Clean drinking water is key and, you know, obviously there are a lot of other great benefits to making sure people have access to clean drinking water. Yeah. And if you can break that reproductive cycle of the worm living in stagnant water and reproducing and then spreading back into the water supply, yeah, you can defeat the parasite.

Yeah. Clean drinking water is key and, you know, obviously there are a lot of other great benefits to making sure people have access to clean drinking water. Yeah. And if you can break that reproductive cycle of the worm living in stagnant water and reproducing and then spreading back into the water supply, yeah, you can defeat the parasite.

Yeah. Clean drinking water is key and, you know, obviously there are a lot of other great benefits to making sure people have access to clean drinking water. Yeah. And if you can break that reproductive cycle of the worm living in stagnant water and reproducing and then spreading back into the water supply, yeah, you can defeat the parasite.

But getting people better water supplies, you know, particularly in remote parts of some of the poorest countries in the world, it doesn't happen overnight. So education was a big part of the campaign against guinea worm, just letting people know what this cycle is, letting people know that they have the worms to not plunge their leg into a pool where People might later be drinking.

But getting people better water supplies, you know, particularly in remote parts of some of the poorest countries in the world, it doesn't happen overnight. So education was a big part of the campaign against guinea worm, just letting people know what this cycle is, letting people know that they have the worms to not plunge their leg into a pool where People might later be drinking.

But getting people better water supplies, you know, particularly in remote parts of some of the poorest countries in the world, it doesn't happen overnight. So education was a big part of the campaign against guinea worm, just letting people know what this cycle is, letting people know that they have the worms to not plunge their leg into a pool where People might later be drinking.

They were also tracking where these parasites are turning up. They were testing water because obviously if health officials know where the cases are occurring, then they can focus more efforts and resources in those areas. And at one point, a number of places in Africa were offering rewards of $100 for any worms that anyone could turn in.

They were also tracking where these parasites are turning up. They were testing water because obviously if health officials know where the cases are occurring, then they can focus more efforts and resources in those areas. And at one point, a number of places in Africa were offering rewards of $100 for any worms that anyone could turn in.