What instrument can be used to prevent guinea worm infection?

The correct answer to the question regarding the prevention of guinea worm infection is a filtration straw. Guinea worm disease, which is caused by the ingestion of water containing the larvae of the Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis), can be effectively prevented by using a method that ensures water is filtered to remove these larvae.

A filtration straw is a practical tool designed specifically for filtering water as you drink. It utilizes a membrane that can trap organisms of significant size, including guinea worm larvae. This filtering mechanism makes it highly effective for someone traveling in areas at risk of guinea worm infection, as it allows for direct drinking from potentially contaminated water sources without the need for boiling or treating the water beforehand.

While water purification tablets can kill pathogens, they do not physically remove larger parasites such as the guinea worm larvae. Similarly, the Life straw is designed for filtering water and can also remove bacteria and protozoa, but it may not be specifically optimized for removing larger parasites like guinea worm larvae as adequately as a filtration straw. Traditional strainers can only reduce particle size but are ineffective for ensuring the removal of pathogenic organisms, including the guinea worm larvae, from water.

Using a filtration straw is a proactive measure to ensure safe drinking water and is especially relevant in regions where