infectious diseases
Dracunculiasis
Treatment of Dracunculiasis
Manual removal Treatment of dracunculiasis consists of slow removal of the adult worm (which may be up to 80 cm long) over days to weeks by rolling it on a stick. Surgical removal under local anesthesia is an option but is seldom available in endemic areas. There are no effective anthelmintic drugs for this disease; the beneficial effect ofmetronidazole(250 mg orally 3 times a day for 10 days) has been ascribed to the drug’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. 