How Do You Prevent Guinea Worm Disease (Dracunculiasis)?
Follow these simple measures to prevent illness and eradicate transmission of the disease when traveling to countries where safe drinking water is unavailable: • Drink water from underground sources, such as hand-dug wells, known to be free from contamination. • Do not allow people with a Guinea worm ulcer to enter ponds and wells used for drinking water. • Always filter any drinking water using a cloth filter to remove the water fleas emitted by adult female worms. • Drinking water should be treated with an approved larvicide. • Whenever possible, drink bottled water and avoid entering water that may be contaminated.
• Follow these simple measures to prevent illness and eradicate transmission of the disease when traveling to countries where safe drinking water is unavailable: • Drink water from underground sources, such as hand-dug wells, known to be free from contamination. • Do not allow people with a Guinea worm ulcer to enter ponds and wells used for drinking water. • Always filter any drinking water using a cloth filter to remove the water fleas emitted by adult female worms. • Drinking water should be treated with an approved larvicide. If you think water is contaminated, drink bottled water. Bottled water is you safest bet, as it has been purified. Also don’t enter any water that may be contaminated.
