What is African trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness)?
African trypanosomiasis, also called African sleeping sickness, is a systemic disease caused by a parasite and transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly. There are two types of the disease, named for the areas of Africa in which they are found. West African trypanosomiasis, which causes a chronic infection lasting years, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. East African trypanosomiasis, which causes acute illness lasting several weeks, is caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. Worldwide, almost 13,000 new cases of both East and West African trypanosomiasis are reported each year to the World Health Organization (WHO). African trypanosomiasis is confined mainly to tropical Africa between 15 degrees North and 20 degrees South latitude. The greatest risks of contracting the disease occurs in parts of Eastern, Southeastern, and Central Africa, including: • Angola • Cameroon • Central African Republic • Chad • Congo • Cote d’Ivoire • Democratic Republic of Congo • Guin
