| Abstract | Dracunculus medinensis, „mali zmaj iz Medine“, vrsta je koja pripada koljenu Nematoda i jedini je oblić koji se prenosi vodom namijenjenom za piće. Nastanjuje potkožno tkivo inficiranih osoba i ako se na vrijeme ne otkrije i pravilno ne liječi, može biti opasan po život. Bolest koju uzrokuje ova vrsta nametnika, drakunkuloza, bila je poznata već u Egiptu i staroj Grčkoj, a liječnici su je liječili namotavanjem jedinke na štapić, kako bi ju izvukli iz potkožnog tkiva bolesnika. Danas se smatra da simbol u medicini, poznat i pod rimskim nazivom Aesculapius predstavlja ovog nametnika omotanog oko štapića. Cilj ovog seminara bio je prikazati morfologiju, anatomiju i ekologiju drakunkulusa, te način liječenja inficiranih osoba. U svijetu se bolest pojavljuje još samo u četiri države, a to su Sudan, Mali, Gana i Etiopija. Kako bi se suzbile u tim žarištima, Svjetska zdravstvena organizacija educira tamošnje stanovništvo o prevenciji ove bolesti. Zaključujem da je njihova kampanja uspješna, jer se broj bolesnika smanjio sa 3,5 milijuna (1986.) na 764 (2009.), što je jako bitno, jer osim što drakunkuloza uzrokuje čireve, celulitis i nekrozu tkiva, ona može izazvati ozbiljnije zdravstvene probleme, pa i smrt. |
| Abstract (english) | Dracunculus medinensis is a species belonging to the phylum Nematoda and is the only nematode transmitted through drinking water. It inhabits subcutaneous tissue of infected persons and, if not properly treated, can be a serious threat to one's health. The disease caused by this parasite is called dracunculiasis, or ''guinea worm disease'' and it has been known from ancient Egypt and Greece, where the physicians treated it by winding the parasite around a small piece of wood in order to extract it from the infected part of the body. It is believed that the symbol of medicine, Aesculapius, represents this parasite wound around a stick. The goal of this paper is to examine the morphology, anatomy and ecology of this nematode, as well as ways of treatment of infected people. Dracunculiasis today has been contained to four countries – Republic of Sudan, Republic of Mali, Republic of Ghana and FDR Ethiopia. To further contain and cure this disease, the World Health Organization is trying to educate the local population about prevention and treatment of this disease. Their campaign appears to be successful, because the number of infected people has dropped from 3.5 million people in 1986, to only 764 people in 2009. This is very important because, apart from causing ulcers, cellulitis and tissue necrosis, dracunculiasis can also lead to death. |
