Guinea worm cases fall to 10 worldwide in 2025

The Carter Center reported 10 human Guinea worm cases in 2025, a 33% drop from 2024, with cases confined to Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan; animal infections remain in the hundreds.

The Carter Center announced that 10 human cases of Guinea worm were reported in 2025, confined to three countries. This is a historic low and represents a 33% decline from 15 cases in 2024. The center's eradication effort began in the mid-1980s when the parasite affected millions of people. The program has worked with national health ministries, the World Health Organization and local volunteers to reduce infections. Key facts: - Ten human cases were reported in 2025: four in Chad, four in Ethiopia and two in South Sudan. - The 2025 total is a 33% decline from the 15 human cases reported in 2024. - Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Mali reported zero human cases for the second consecutive year. - Animal infections continue and numbered in the hundreds in 2025: Chad reported 147 (a 47% drop), Cameroon 445, Angola 70, Mali 17, South Sudan 3 and Ethiopia 1. - There is no specific treatment for Guinea worm; infected people may take pain medication. Prevention efforts have included public education, volunteer training and distribution of water filters. - The Carter Center said its next priority is developing diagnostic tests, especially for animals, to detect infections before symptoms appear. Summary: Human cases of Guinea worm are at a record low, reflecting long-running eradication efforts by the Carter Center in partnership with governments and international bodies. Persistent animal infections complicate the timeline for formal eradication, and the program has identified development of animal diagnostics as a key next step.