Sleeping sickness
Key points
- Sleeping sickness is an infectious parasitic disease carried by tsetse flies and characterized by inflammation of the brain and the covering of the brain (meninges).
- Sleeping sickness is caused by two organisms, T. brucei rhodesiense and T. brucei gambiense.
- Signs and tests A physical examination may show signs of meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and meninges).
- Calling your health care provider Call your health care provider if symptoms of this disorder develop.
Alternative names
African trypanosomiasis
Definition
Sleeping sickness is an infectious parasitic disease carried by tsetse flies and characterized by inflammation of the brain and the covering of the brain (meninges).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Sleeping sickness is caused by two organisms, T. brucei rhodesiense and T. brucei gambiense. The more severe form of the illness is caused by rhodesiense.
After a person is bitten by an infected fly, a red, painful swelling develops at the site of the fly bite, similar to that seen in Chagas disease. From this site, the parasite invades the blood stream, causing episodes of fever, headache, sweating, and generalized enlargement of the Lymph nodes. Parasites then invade the central nervous system (early with rhodesiense and later with gambiense) where they produce the symptoms typical of sleeping sickness.
Ultimately the parasites invade the brain, first causing behavioral changes such as fear and mood swings, followed by headache, fever, and weakness. Simultaneously, the patient may develop myocarditis.
Without treatment, death may occur within 6 months from cardiac failure, or from rhodesiense infection itself. Gambiense infection may require up to 2 years before symptoms of infection in the central nervous system appear.
Gambiense-infected people develop drowsiness during the day, but Insomnia at night. Sleep becomes uncontrollable as the disease progresses until the patient becomes comatose.
Risk factors include living in those parts of Africa where the disease is found and being bitten by tsetse flies. The incidence is extremely low in the U.S. - it is only found in travelers who have visited or lived in those African areas.
Symptoms
- Swollen red painful nodule at site of inoculation
- Generalized lymphadenopathy (swollen Lymph nodes all over the body)
- headache
- Fever
- Sweating
- Anxiety
- Increased sleepiness
- Insomnia at night
- Mood changes
- Drowsiness
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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