dracunculiasis

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

Definition of dracunculiasis

: 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 After decades of backbreaking work, dracunculiasis is one of two human diseases on the brink of eradication. — New York Times, "Nearly Eradicated in Humans, the Guinea Worm Finds New Victims: Dogs," 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, "Killing of Mother-Daughter Team Shakes Polio Fighters in Pakistan," 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, "2 Polio Paralysis Cases in Nigeria Set Back Eradication Effort," 11 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dracunculiasis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Dracunculiasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dracunculiasis. Accessed 22 Sep. 2020.

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More Definitions for dracunculiasis

dracunculiasis

noun

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

plural dracunculiases\ -ˌsēz

Medical Definition of dracunculiasis

: 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