Renewed transmission of dracunculiasis--Chad, 2010

Transmission of dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease), a waterborne, parasitic disease targeted for eradication, was thought to have been interrupted in Chad since 2000, when the last case was reported. However, in 2010, 10 cases were confirmed by the Chad Ministry of Public Health (Ministère de la Santé Publique [MSP]) and the World Health Organization (WHO) during field investigations in which rumored cases were investigated and nearby villages were actively searched for additional cases. Because patients were not prevented from contaminating water sources, new cases were expected in 2011. During January-February 2011, MSP, WHO, and CDC conducted an investigation to gather additional information to guide prevention and response activities before the 2011 transmission season. Seven districts where cases had been confirmed or suspected in 2010 or where dracunculiasis was endemic during 1994-2000 were surveyed. The results of those surveys indicated that residents of 116 (55%) of 210 villages and 13 (87%) of 15 nomad camps consumed water from unsafe sources; 157 (75%) of 209 village key informants (KIs) and five (33%) of 15 nomad camp KIs knew about dracunculiasis. Thirty-one villages had confirmed or suspected cases during 2009-2011 and were classified as at-risk, requiring weekly active surveillance and urgent pre-positioning of materials for the 2011 transmission season. Nomadic populations are at risk for dracunculiasis because of unsafe water consumption and minimal knowledge of the disease. These populations also require targeted surveillance and prevention efforts (e.g., filter distribution, education, and case containment) to interrupt dracunculiasis transmission .