dracunculiasis

noun

dra·​cun·​cu·​li·​a·​sis drə-ˌkəŋ-kyə-ˈlī-ə-səs 

: infestation with or disease caused by the Guinea worm that is marked by painful blisters especially on the lower legs or feet from which one or more mature female Guinea worms slowly emerge and that has been eradicated in most regions except Africa

called also Guinea worm disease

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

After decades of backbreaking work, dracunculiasis is one of two human diseases on the brink of eradication. —New York Times, 18 June 2018

The other disease closest to complete eradication is dracunculiasis, better known as Guinea worm disease. —Donald G. Mcneil Jr., New York Times, 22 Jan. 2018

The last few hundred cases of Guinea worm, or dracunculiasis, the only other disease as close to eradication as polio is, are also confined to Africa. —Donald G. Mcneil Jr., New York Times, 11 Aug. 2016

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Dracunculus, the guinea worm genus, from Latin, diminutive of dracon-, draco serpent, dragon — more at dragon

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dracunculiasis

noun

dra·​cun·​cu·​li·​a·​sis drə-ˌkəŋ-kyə-ˈlī-ə-səs 

plural dracunculiases -ˌsēz 

: infestation with or disease caused by the Guinea worm that is marked by painful blisters especially on the lower legs or feet from which one or more mature female Guinea worms slowly emerge

Note: Eradication efforts have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of cases of dracunculiasis from several million per year in Africa and Asia in the 1980s to 28 reported cases in Africa in 2018.

called also Guinea worm disease