The disease African trypanosomiasis is also referred to as sleeping sickness, according to the Centers for Disease Control. There are two forms of the disease, and you can catch either East African trypanosomiasis or West African trypanosomiasis if an infected tsetse fly bites you. The tsetse flies that serve as the vector for spreading the disease exist only in rural parts of Africa, and sleeping sickness rarely occurs in the United States. However, both forms can be fatal if not treated.
Early Symptoms of the West African Form
The World Health Organization notes that this form of the disease accounts for 90 percent of all cases of sleeping sickness, and that if you become infected with it, no major symptoms may occur for years. This is a chronic infection. You might develop a painful bump or a red sore, called a canker, at the location of the bite during the first 1 to 3 weeks. During the next weeks or months, you may experience minimal symptoms or symptoms which appear then disappear. These include fever, fatigue, headaches, itchy skin, rashes, and muscle and joint pain. You might also experience swelling in your hands, face and lymph glands.
Later Symptoms of the West African Form
The National Institute of Health (NIH) states that over time, the disease infects the central nervous system and this causes sleeping sickness symptoms to occur. Additional symptoms at this stage include sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night. The infection ultimately spreads to the brain, and you might suffer from personality changes and confusion. Later, you may sleep uncontrollably, and then fall into a coma before succumbing.
Early Symptoms of the East African Form
The CDC notes that symptoms of this form of the sleeping disease or sickness usually appear during the first 1 to 3 weeks after a person is bitten. This is a chronic infection and the onset can be rapid. A canker or red sore may develop at the site of the bite. At this stage, this sickness shares many of the same symptoms as the West African form of the disease, including fever, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and headaches, but the CDC mentions an additional symptom, irritability.
Later Symptoms of the East African Form
This form of the disease also invades the central nervous system at some point, and once the infection traverses the blood-brain barrier, you may experience symptoms that include increasing confusion and changes in personality. The Public Health Agency of Canada lists some additional symptoms such as slurring and other speech difficulties, problems with walking, and seizures. Death occurs, usually within months.
References
- The Centers for Disease Control: West African trypanosomiasis
- World Health Organization: African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)
- National Institute of Health: Sleeping Sickness
- The Centers for Disease Control: East African trypanosomiasis
- Public Health Agency of Canada: African Trypanosomiasis or Sleeping Sickness
