DRACUNCULIASIS ERADICATION - MARCH 1994 UPDATE

Substantial progress has been realized in the global campaign to eradi cate dracunculiasis by the end of 1995 since a previous review of the subject was published in this journal a year ago. All known endemic co untries are now engaged in the eradication effort, and one or more con trol measures are now in place in 93% of endemic villages. Despite imp roved surveillance for the disease, the number of reported cases of th e disease has been reduced by 41% (to about 221,000), and the number o f known endemic villages has been reduced by 28% (to about 16,500) in the past year. Priorities for national eradication programs in 1994 in clude increasing the use of vector control and intensifying the case c ontainment strategy in endemic villages. It is still possible to achie ve the eradication target of December 1995, but greatly intensified ef forts this year will be required to do so.