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
Examples of dracunculiasis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This mechanism of infection is employed by a motley crew of microscopic organisms that have adapted to prey upon our unquenchable thirst, from pervasive bacteria like cholera and typhoid to often less famous but no less formidable parasites such as giardia and dracunculiasis.
—
Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2014
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2014
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
Cite this Entry
“Dracunculiasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dracunculiasis. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share