Guinea Worm Disease Reaches All-Time Low

Guinea worm disease is closer than ever to eradication, with just 10 human cases reported worldwide in 2025—the lowest number on record and a 33% decline from 2024. Led by The Carter Center and national partners, the decades-long campaign has reduced cases by more than 99.99% since 1986, averting an estimated 100 million infections through community-based surveillance, safe water practices, and behavior change.

Guinea worm is poised to become the first parasitic disease eradicated and only the second human disease eliminated globally after smallpox. Continued vigilance remains critical, particularly as animal infections persist in a handful of countries. Read more from The Carter Center here.