Symptoms Of African Trypanosomiasis

Commonly known as 'sleeping sickness,' African trypanosomiasis is a serious illness caused by parasites. These parasites, called Trypanosoma brucei, are carried by the tsetse fly, which infects patients with a single bite. African trypanosomiasis occurs in thirty-six countries across rural, sub-Saharan Africa. There are two types of the disease, East African trypanosomiasis and West African trypanosomiasis, each named after the region in which they are found. Each type involves infection with a slightly different parasite. Ninety-eight percent of diagnosed sleeping sickness cases are the West African form, which causes a chronic infection that may take months or years to produce symptoms. The remaining two percent of diagnosed cases in humans have the East African form, which more commonly affects animals, including pigs. The East African form is an acute condition that develops rapidly, sometimes in only a few weeks. Both the East African and West African forms of African trypanosomiasis are found in Uganda. Both kinds of African trypanosomiasis can be cured with appropriate treatment. However, most patients tend to live in remote areas with limited access to even the most basic medical care, and as a result, the disease is often fatal. Approximately twenty-five thousand new sleeping sickness cases are diagnosed each year. There is no vaccine for this illness. Currently, health organizations focus on practical advice to prevent being bitten by the tsetse fly. Experts advise travelers to areas with tsetse flies to wear medium-weight clothing that fully covers their arms and legs.

Let's investigate some of the major symptoms of African trypanosomiasis.

Red Sores

Although some sleeping sickness patients do not experience red sores, they can be one of the very first signs of African trypanosomiasis and are more commonly seen in the East African form of the disease. Typically, between seventy to eighty percent of sleeping sickness patients will have this sign. The red sore appears as a small ulcer and will develop at the site of the tsetse fly bite, usually one to two weeks following the bite. The distinctive red sore is sometimes called a trypanosomal chancre and is part of the characteristic symptoms of the first stage of the disease, which primarily affects the skin, lymph nodes, and blood. A chancre is often a hardened, itchy lump approximately two to five centimeters in size. After being present for two to three weeks, it may scab and heal on its own without leaving a scar. Shortly after developing a chancre, some patients may also present with a rash. Occasionally, withdrawing a sample of fluid from a suspected trypanosomal chancre can aid doctors in making a diagnosis.

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Fever And Severe Headaches

Symptoms such as fever and severe headaches are both characteristics of the first stage of the disease. Both East African and West African forms of sleeping sickness commonly cause fever and headaches. The East African form is an acute, rapidly progressing infection and produces a high fever. The West African variety is chronic, and fever symptoms with this type of the illness may involve a comparatively lower-grade fever. Typically, the fever will tend to be intermittent, coming and going throughout several weeks to months. Similarly, headaches are often more severe in the East African form of sleeping sickness than in the West African form. As African trypanosomiasis progresses from the first to the second stages, more neurological symptoms can occur, such as slurred speech, poor coordination, seizures, and confusion.

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Extreme Fatigue

Extreme fatigue is common to both forms of African trypanosomiasis. In the case of the East African type, fatigue occurs within weeks of infection, while it takes months or years to develop in the West African variety. The disease disturbs the natural sleeping and waking cycle. Patients will often want to sleep for long periods during the day, and they may then have insomnia at night. This disturbance in circadian rhythm leads to extreme fatigue. The fatigue may be accompanied by weight loss. If African trypanosomiasis is left untreated and progresses to its final stages, it can lead to coma, and this characteristic is why it has been named 'sleeping sickness.'

African trypanosomiasis has even more symptoms typically displayed in patients. Learn about them by reading more now.

Swollen Lymph Nodes

Swollen lymph nodes are present in both types of African trypanosomiasis and occur during the first stage of the illness. The lymph nodes located at the back of the neck, known as the posterior cervical and supraclavicular nodes, are the most common site for swelling in the West African type of the condition. Swelling at these locations is referred to as the 'Winterbottom sign.' In the East African form of sleeping sickness, enlarged lymph nodes are most common at the elbow and in the armpit; these nodes are known as the epitrochlear nodes. Facial swelling can also occur, and an enlarged spleen may sometimes accompany this. Taking a sample of fluid from some of the swollen lymph nodes can aid in diagnosis.

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Muscle And Joint Aches

Muscle and joint aches occur with both kinds of African trypanosomiasis. As with other symptoms, they may be more severe in the East African type and have a quicker onset than with the West African kind, in which joint and muscle pain can be intermittent. These aches and pains often occur before the development of more serious symptoms. These symptoms may include trouble with walking and coordination, partial paralysis, changes in personality, problems with speech, and difficulty concentrating. Muscle and joint aches may get progressively worse as the disease advances, and they may remain present at both the early and later stages of African trypanosomiasis.