Wednesday, July 18, 2012

“The Fiery Serpent”


by Kezhan E. Khazaw

 
            Hello there, my name is Dracunculus medinensis but most people know me as the Guinea worm. I am a parasite that likes to live off of an organism (in this case it is these strange creatures called humans). My job is to feed, grow, reproduce, and find a host to use as my own personal house. It is a wonderful place to live because I have lots of room to roam around and oh yes there is also plenty of food for me not to go hungry. I usually live in the subcutaneous tissues and I cause ulcerated blisters in the tissue around the vulva. It is a nifty place and I like it very much. However, the person that I am in does not seem to like me very much. I do not know why. I mean I just form this blister so that way I can get my babies, larvae children, out into the fresh water. Now these humans are stubborn and will not let us out easily so I secrete my wrath toxins so they feel this burning sensation. My children absolutely love the water! While they are in the water, my babies get eaten by copepods which are these small crustaceans that live in the fresh water also. This where these strange creatures come and drink the water. As a result some of the copepods are ingested and my three week baby larvae come out and penetrate through their small intestines. Humans are wonderful creatures because their body allows for my children to reproduce and become parents themselves. Who does not love grandchildren? I know I do, I love seeing my own daughter becoming a mother and continuing our generation into the future. You see I usually travel down to the lower extremities (you know their legs and feet) so that way I can have better access to the water. Most often I do not like to show or indicate my presence until at least a year later after I am really and healthy. That way I am ready to release my children into the water to continue the life cycle process once again. It is crazy, for some reason when I do make my appearance the human’s body starts to go through some changes. I have heard rumors that I, the Guinea worm, cause a slight fever, itchy rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dizziness. After all those symptoms I form a blister, so that I can escape and let children breath.  When I stick my head out, these humans want to get rid of me. Can you believe such a thing? These humans are kicking me out of my own home, for what reason- I do not know. There is no specific drug to kill me. No, they want to take me through this long journey of tying me to a stick and each day they slowly expose me until I am out in a few weeks. Oh the process is so tedious; I mean I get so bored just dangling there, while starving to death. Humans are very inconsiderate of my feelings. They are so mean!

 Humans are trying to eradicate my family and me. They are filtering their water so that way they do not drink the copepods; they kill my babies by using larvicide, and for some reason these humans tell their human friends that I am dangerous and they should stay away from me and my children. It is just awful, and I hate it! The main organization behind all of this eradicating business is the Carter Center; created by Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosaland Carter. The eradication program is successful, reducing the number of my guinea worm friends from 3.5 million cases in 21 countries in Africa and Asia to only 1058 cases in four African countries in 2011. I still have friends living in South Sudan, Mali, and Ethiopia. Recently, there was an isolated outbreak in Chad. Well, my fellow reader I must leave you now. My children are anxious for the water, I must go and get prepared because I believe this human I am occupying is about put his foot in the water. Until next time drink some contaminated fresh water and help my family live and prosper for generations to come. 

 

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