African Trypanosomiasis, also called as “sleeping sickness” is a disease caused by parasites which are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. The disease is endemic to around 36 sub-Saharan African countries where the tsetse flies are found. The treatment of this disease is complicated but it is curable. If left untreated, the disease might prove to be fatal.
African Trypanosomiasis, also called as “sleeping sickness” is a disease caused by parasites which are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. The disease is endemic to around 36 sub-Saharan African countries where the tsetse flies are found. The treatment of this disease is complicated but it is curable. If left untreated, the disease might prove to be fatal.
The bite of a tsetse fly is very painful. Within one week of being bitten, there appears a painful sore on the bitten site. It is called a chancre. Symptoms differ from person to person. An infected person shows symptoms of the disease within 1 to 4 weeks of infection. In the initial stages include:
Many weeks after infection, the condition worsens, and complication like meningoencephalitis develops. In this condition, the brain and fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord get infected. The following symptoms show up:
If not treated on time, the disease might prove to be fatal.
There are two species of parasites responsible for causing this disease: Trypanosoma brucei rhodesienseandTrypanosoma brucei gambiense. These two species of parasites infect humans when the carrier fly called tsetse bites people. The fly acquires these parasites from previous bites to human or animals.
This disease is more rampant in rural parts of Africa where the main occupation is agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or hunting. Since the exposure to the tsetse fly is more in such work places, people working in these environments are more susceptible to the infection.
Though the most common way of infection is through the bite of an infected tsetse fly, there are other ways by way of which the infection might spreads:
Since there is no vaccine to prevent African trypanosomiasis, the only way to prevent this disease is to avoid being around the tsetse flies.
The bite of a tsetse fly is very painful. Within one week of being bitten, there appears a painful sore on the bitten site. It is called a chancre. Symptoms differ from person to person. An infected person shows symptoms of the disease within 1 to 4 weeks of infection. In the initial stages include:
Many weeks after infection, the condition worsens, and complication like meningoencephalitis develops. In this condition, the brain and fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord get infected. The following symptoms show up:
If not treated on time, the disease might prove to be fatal.
There are two species of parasites responsible for causing this disease: Trypanosoma brucei rhodesienseandTrypanosoma brucei gambiense. These two species of parasites infect humans when the carrier fly called tsetse bites people. The fly acquires these parasites from previous bites to human or animals.
This disease is more rampant in rural parts of Africa where the main occupation is agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or hunting. Since the exposure to the tsetse fly is more in such work places, people working in these environments are more susceptible to the infection.
Though the most common way of infection is through the bite of an infected tsetse fly, there are other ways by way of which the infection might spreads:
Since there is no vaccine to prevent African trypanosomiasis, the only way to prevent this disease is to avoid being around the tsetse flies.