Population genomic evidence that human and animal infections in Africa come from the same populations of Dracunculus medinensis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Guinea worm-Dracunculus medinensis-was historically one of the major parasites of humans and has been known since antiquity. Now, Guinea worm is on the brink of eradication, as efforts to interrupt transmission have reduced the annual burden of disease from millions of infections per year in the 1980s to only 54 human cases reported globally in 2019. Despite the enormous success of eradication efforts to date, one complication has arisen. Over the last few years, hundreds of dogs have been found infected with this previously apparently anthroponotic parasite, almost all in Chad. Moreover, the relative numbers of infections in humans and dogs suggests that dogs are currently the principal reservoir on infection and key to maintaining transmission in that country.

Princ

SUBMITTER: Durrant C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7728184 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature