DRACUNCULIASIS (GUINEA WORM DISEASE) IN THE BUME (NYANGATON) PEOPLE OF SOUTH OMO, ETHIOPIA

A village-to-village search for active dracunculiasis cases was carrie d out in an endemic area of the Bume (Nyangaton) tribe of South Omo Re gion, Ethiopia. A total of, 21 cases, of which 6, 5, and 10 had pre-em ergent, emergent and complicated Guinea worm disease, respectively, we re identified. Twenty-two worms, ranging from 1-3 per patient, were re moved mainly from the lower limbs; worm appearance seems to be associa ted more with the right limb. Adults between the ages of 20-30 years a re highly affected and infection appears to be sex-related as 14121 (6 6. 7%) of the cases are females. Water procured from water-holes dug i n dry river beds provides an ideal situation for the transmission of d racunculiasis amongst the tribesmen. The knowledge, attitudes and perc eptions of the Bume people towards the disease and the public health s ignificance of dracunculiasis are discussed in relation to the current goal of the national and global Guinea worm eradication programme.