About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges of eradicating guinea worm disease and compares it to the eradication of smallpox.
The number of human cases of guinea worm, a painful and debilitating tropical illness, fell to a record low of just 10 last year, according to the Carter Centre, the foundation set up by the late former US president Jimmy Carter. But despite years-long declines, it remains almost impossible to completely eradicate the parasite. Only one human illness has been entirely eradicated: smallpox. Why is it so difficult, and could guinea worm one day be the second? Ian Sample hears from co-host Madeleine Finlay, and David Molyneux, emeritus professor of tropical disease microbiology at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
People in this episode
Host: Ian Sample
Guests: Madeleine Finlay, David Molyneux
Topics covered
- guinea worm
- disease eradication
- tropical illness
- public health
- microbiology
Keywords
- guinea worm
- disease eradication
- tropical disease
- Carter Centre
- public health
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Carter Centre, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Places: US
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