Commentary: Dogs and the classic route of Guinea Worm transmission: an evaluation of copepod ingestion

摘要

Dracunculiasis was largely considered a parasitic disease exclusively affecting humans. That is whyall the control measures taken, aimed at its global eradication, were exclusively applied to humans.Currently, Guinea worm disease is considered a zoonosis, with dogs being the main reservoir,reaching high rates of infection, thus jeopardizing its eradication. An alternative route of foodborneparasite transmission has been suggested for dogs by means of the ingestion of infected frogs and/orfish. In addition, a recent study carried out in dogs to assess their ability to ingest copepods whiledrinking has cast doubts on the key role of drinking water in the dracunculiasis epidemiology. As aresult, both routes of transmission, waterborne and foodborne, are discussed.Around since antiquity, Dracunculiasis, or Guinea worm disease, is a parasitic infection knownto affect humans (1). According to the World Health Organization, dracunculiasis was the firstparasitic disease set for eradication (https://www.who.int/dracunculiasis/eradication/en/). Hostsbecome infected by drinking water contaminated with infected copepods harboring the infective L3larvae. Once infected, the adult female inhabits the host’s subcutaneous tissue. A blister is formedon the skin of the host and the parasite embryos are released from the female when the ulcer isexposed to water.