Ep 58 Guinea worm: (Almost) Ancient History

Ep 58 Guinea worm: (Almost) Ancient History

You’ve heard about smallpox, and you’ve learned about rinderpest. Now it’s time to meet what may be the third disease to ever be eradicated: dracunculiasis, also known as Guinea worm disease. In this episode, we take you through the absolutely remarkable life cycle of this not-so-little worm and the nitty gritty of the havoc it wreaks on a person’s body throughout its journey. Then get out your TPWKY bingo cards, because the history of Guinea worm includes not only mummies and historic papyri but also ancient Rome and fun etymology. To bring us up to speed on the current status of Guinea worm today is Sarah Yerian, Senior Associate Director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center. Sara discusses not only how the reduction in prevalence of dracunculiasis has been achieved but also the challenges that remain to finally relegate this worm to the history books.


To learn more about the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center, check out the website or follow them on social media: @CarterCenter. You can also find the link to our firsthand account here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Ep 187 Hypothermia Part 2: How it helps

Ep 187 Hypothermia Part 2: How it helps

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Ep 186 Hypothermia Part 1: How it hurts

Ep 186 Hypothermia Part 1: How it hurts

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Ep 185 The Great Smog of London: “Thick, drab, yellow, disgusting”

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Ep 184 The Gallbladder: Humor us

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Ep 183 SSRIs Part 2: Action

Ep 183 SSRIs Part 2: Action

Last week, we took you on a journey of discovery and innovation, and this week we’re gonna tell you how the heck it all works. That means a deep dive into the nitty gritty of SSRIs, from what serotoni...

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Ep 182 SSRIs Part 1: Origin

Ep 182 SSRIs Part 1: Origin

Since first hitting the shelves nearly 40 years ago, SSRIs have become one of the most commonly prescribed classes of antidepressants around the world, as well as one of the most discussed and misunde...

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