What is the treatment of trypanosomiasis?
The acute phase of trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) is treated with nifurtimox or benznidazole. Cases of congenital Chagas disease have been successfully treated with either drug. A single case of successful treatment of an adult with posaconazole (after failure of therapy with benznidazole) has been reported.
What are the symptoms of trypanosomiasis?
Fever, severe headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and aching muscles and joints are common symptoms of sleeping sickness. Some people develop a skin rash. Progressive confusion, personality changes, and other neurologic problems occur after infection has invaded the central nervous system.
What are the stages of trypanosomiasis?
Infection occurs in two stages, an initial haemolymphatic stage followed by a meningoencephalitic stage after the trypanosomes invade the central nervous system (CNS). However, many of the signs and symptoms are common to both stages, making it difficult to distinguish between the two stages by clinical features alone.
What is the mode of transmission of trypanosomiasis?
They are transmitted to humans by tsetse fly ( Glossina genus) bites which have acquired their infection from human beings or from animals harbouring human pathogenic parasites. Tsetse flies are found just in sub-Saharan Africa though only certain species transmit the disease.
What are the complications of trypanosomiasis?
Complications of African trypanosomiasis may include the following:
- Anemia and fatigue.
- Wasting syndrome.
- Aspiration pneumonia.
- Meningoencephalitis and seizures.
- Stupor or coma (sleeping sickness)
- Death.
- Perinatal death or abortion (after congenital infection)
How is trypanosomiasis diagnosed?
CSF testing is done after a parasitologic diagnosis has been made by microscopic examination of blood, lymph node aspirates, chancre fluid, or bone marrow or when indications of infection are present that justify a lumbar puncture (e.g., clinical signs and symptoms of sleeping sickness or strong serologic suspicion).
What 3 types of diseases does Trypanosoma cause?
Trypanosomes infect a variety of hosts and cause various diseases, including the fatal human diseases sleeping sickness, caused by Trypanosoma brucei, and Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.
How long does trypanosomiasis last?
It’s a short-term (acute) illness that may last several weeks to months. People from the U.S. who travel to Africa are rarely infected. On average, 1 U.S. citizen is infected every year.
How does Trypanosoma affect the body?
If not treated, the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier and invades the central nervous system causing advanced stage sleeping sickness. During this stage, people develop neuropsychiatric symptoms such as sleep disruption, confusion, lethargy, and convulsions. If left untreated, sleeping sickness is usually fatal.