Focus: Human African trypanosomiasis

Control of human African trypanosomiasis in the Quiçama focus, Angola.

OBJECTIVE To update the epidemiological status of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, in the Quiçama focus, province of Bengo, Angola, and to establish a HAT control programme. METHODS In 1997, 8796 people (the population of 31 villages) were serologically screened for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, the causative agent of HAT. In 1998 and 1999, surveys were ca...

Human African trypanosomiasis.

Human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness is one of the most important but equally most neglected tropical infections. It is caused by a protozoan, Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of a tsetse fly (Glossina spp). Patchy distribution of the various vector species confines the disease to some 200 microfoci in sub-Saharan Africa (fig 1). The disease had ...

Human African trypanosomiasis.

Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. It is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, transmitted by tsetse flies. Almost all cases are due to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which is indigenous to west and central Africa. Prevalence is strongly dependent on control measures, which are often neglected during periods of political instability, th...

some new leads for human african trypanosomiasis (african sleeping sickness)

Epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, is caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which is a chronic form of the disease present in western and central Africa, and by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, which is an acute disease located in eastern and southern Africa. The rhodesiense form is a zoonosis, with the occasional infection of humans, but in the gambiense form, the huma...