A Historical Perspective on Piyuk Disease in Iran: An Analysis of Geographical DiStribution, DiagnoStic Methods, and Treatment Practices

Environmental factors such as water, air, food, and drinks affect the health of the human body. Among these factors, water plays a fundamental role in human life. Any neglect of water hygiene and consumption of unhealthy water can cause the transmission of pathogenic agents to the body and disease occurrence. An example of a disease caused by the consumption of unhealthy water in the hiStory of Iran is “Piyuk disease” (guinea worm). Therefore, the current research is trying to answer the following queStions:   Geographically, in which regions of Iran was Piyuk disease prevalent? What did Iranian doctors underStand about this disease, and what preventive measures and treatment methods did they use to deal with it?The present research findings show that Piyuk was among the endemic diseases of the southern regions and in a limited form in some northeaStern regions of Iran. The pathogen enters the human body through drinking unhealthy water. After a period of several months of incubation, it appears in the form of a skin rash and, finally, a worm-like rash. In the epiStemological approach of mixed medicine, doctors have considered the increase and dominance of soda and phlegm in the body as the cause of disease. Following such a perception, doctors have prescribed various treatment methods to remove the thread from the body, including antidote treatment for the disease. MoSt of the treatments have been aimed at the swollen area. The present research is a hiStorical Study with a medical nature. The materials were collected using a library method and presented with a descriptive-analytical approach.