In Ghana, Guinea-worms prevents children from attending school. [(c) April 2006/Jon Warren/World Vision]

Of all the diseases associated with drinking dirty water, few are more horrid than Guinea worm. Although the menace has been eliminated from most countries of the world, it still lingers in communities in West Africa. Villagers — including many children —unwittingly ingest the microscopic larvae when they drink water from a stagnant pond.

Victims must endure the worm’s emergence for up to three months. They are usually incapacitated by fever and nausea.
To speed things along, people carefully wind the worm around a stick as it emerges, being careful not to pull too hard. If the worm breaks, it will retract into the body, causing severe inflammation. Most sites where worms emerge get infected, and the worst cases result in permanent crippling or death.

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The feature above was published in World Vision Magazine—Summer 2007 [pdf]. Other features from this issue include: Water in a Child's Life — Children have an inherent understanding of water’s significance. Splashes — Snapshots of water’s impact

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