History of Discovery:

Persian physicians removing the Dracunculus medinensis parasite from the leg of a patient during the 9th century. (1)

 

The first recognized mention of Dracunculiasis comes from the Ebers papyrus of 1500BCE, which include names for the clinical manifestation (aat blisters) and instructions for treating swellings and removing the worms from limbs(2). Also, a well-preserved, calcified female worm was found in an Egyptian mummy, evidence of its presence in ancient Egypt. Dracunculus medinensis is also directly described in the Bible, specifically the “fiery serpents” that attacked near the Red Sea after the Exodus from Egypt(3). Seventh century BCE Assyrian texts belonging to King Ashurbanipal contain obvious references to the disease, as do Greek and Roman texts written by physicians in the tenth and eleventh centuries(4). Although physicians were aware of the disease, historians do not think they knew of its origins.

Drawings of the morphology, treatment (winding worm on stick), and vector for Dracunculus Medinensis. Illustrations by Alekei Pavlovitch Fedchenko in 1870 (5)

Widespread attention to the disease did not resurge until 1674, when travelers began to notice it in Africa and Asia(6). A number of scientists studied Dracunculiasis, but did not discover the full life cycle until 1870 when Alekei Pavlovitch Fedchenko of Russia finally discovered the crustacean intermediate host stages(7). The Indian bacteriologist, Dyneshvar Atmaran Turkhud, solidified this knowledge in 1913 by successfully infecting volunteers using infected Cyclops water fleas(8). Since then, the disease has been studied by thousands of parasitologists, and in 1986, the WHO initiated a worldwide eradication program that continues to have amazing success.