The Guinea worm ( Dracunculus medinensis) is considered one of the scariest worms due to its painful and horrifying method of infection and extraction.
Guinea worms are tissue parasites that can grow to be exceptionally large (600 to 800 mm in length and 2 mm in diameter) inside a human host. The Guinea worm's lifecycle contributes to its "scary" reputation. Humans contract the parasite by drinking water contaminated with copepods (tiny crustaceans) that carry Guinea worm larvae. Once ingested, the larvae mature and the female worm migrates through the host's body, often for about a year, before emerging, usually from the lower limbs, to release her larvae back into the water. This emergence is extremely painful and can cause secondary bacterial infections. The traditional method of extraction, winding the worm a few millimeters each day around a stick, is a slow and agonizing process.
While other worms, such as parasitic tapeworms or hookworms, can cause significant health problems, the Guinea worm stands out due to the visible and painful emergence of the adult worm from the body.
