Success Story Against Guinea Worm

Success Story Against Guinea Worm
The disease has been reduced below 10,000 cases in five countries. Transcript of radio broadcast:
20 September 2008

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

Guinea worm disease usually does not kill, but it is extremely painful. It prevents people from caring for their farms, their homes and sometimes even themselves.

In nineteen eighty-six, an estimated three and one-half million people in Africa and Asia suffered from Guinea worm disease. There were cases in more than twenty countries.

Today, Guinea worm still exists. But in two thousand seven, fewer than ten thousand cases were reported in five countries.

International organizations made the difference. They worked to increase activism and donations to the Global Dracunculiasis Eradication Campaign. That is the technical name for Guinea worm disease. Local governments provided support for services.

The Carter Center in the United States led the efforts. The World Health Organization and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, also played central parts. So did the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The C.D.C. says Guinea worm no longer strikes in Asia. Most remaining cases are in Sudan and Ghana. The other countries affected are Mali, Niger and Nigeria. All five are working to stop the disease.

The disease affects poor communities that do not have safe water to drink.

Guinea worms are parasites -- organisms that live in other organisms. The parasites enter the body when a person drinks water containing water fleas infected with Guinea worm larvae, the young form of the worm. "Water fleas" are not insects but copepods, a crustacean like lobsters and crabs but extremely small.

Almost a year passes without signs of the disease. But during that time the worm develops inside the person's body. Some reach lengths of one meter.

Then the worm makes its way toward the skin surface. A blister forms, usually on the legs or feet.

The person suffers greatly when the worm cuts through the skin and leaves the body. And it is not unusual for an infected person to have more than one Guinea worm.

The international campaign has worked to help communities improve their supplies of drinking water. For example, villagers have been taught ways to keep water clean and to take steps like running water through cloth to reduce the risk of infection.

There is no vaccine against Guinea worm and no totally effective treatment. But the disease can be managed to reduce pain and infection.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jerilyn Watson.
----------------------------Google Translate

成功的故事对麦地那龙线虫
这种疾病已经减少到低于一〇 〇 〇 〇箱子在5个国家。全文电台广播：
2008年九月20日

这是美国之音特别英语发展报告。

麦地那龙线虫病通常不会杀人，但它是极其痛苦的。它使人们无法照顾他们的农场，他们的家园，有时甚至是自己。

在1986年，估计有三年半多万人在非洲和亚洲遭受几内亚线虫病。有时二十多个国家。

今天，麦地那龙线虫依然存在。但是，在2000七年，不到一点○○○万案件报告在5个国家。

国际组织所作的区别。他们努力加强和捐赠活动对全球根除龙线虫病的运动。这是技术名称为麦地那龙线虫病。地方政府提供支持服务。

卡特中心在美国领导的努力。世界卫生组织和联合国儿童基金会，联合国儿童基金，也发挥中部地区。因此，没有美国疾病控制中心和预防。

该C.D.C.麦地那龙线虫表示不再罢工在亚洲。大多数余下的个案，在苏丹和加纳。其他受影响国家的马里，尼日尔和尼日利亚。所有五个正在努力阻止这种疾病。

该疾病影响到贫困社区没有安全的饮用水。

几内亚蠕虫的寄生虫-生物体生活在其他生物。该寄生虫进入人体当一个人饮水含有水跳蚤感染麦地那龙线虫幼虫，年轻形式的蠕虫病毒。 “水跳蚤”不是昆虫，但桡足类的甲壳类动物一样龙虾和螃蟹，但非常小。

近一年通行证的迹象疾病。但是，在这段时间里开发的蠕虫病毒在人的身体。有些长度达到1米。

然后，蠕虫使其走向皮肤表面。水泡的形式，通常的腿或脚。

该人患有时大大减少蠕虫病毒通过皮肤和叶的尸体。这是不寻常的感染者有一个以上的麦地那龙线虫。

国际运动一直在努力帮助社区改善其供应的饮用水。例如，村民们讲授了如何使水的清洁，并采取步骤像自来水通过布，以减少感染的危险。

没有疫苗的麦地那龙线虫，并没有完全有效的治疗方法。但是，这种疾病是可以管理，以减少疼痛和感染。

，这是美国之音特别英语发展报告撰写的Jerilyn沃森。