African sleeping sickness, also known as human African trypanosomiasis, is an infectious disease seen only in Sub-Saharan Africa and is carried by the tsetse fly. It happens in places where there are dense forests and near rivers and lakes, especially in rural areas. There are two forms of the African sleeping sickness: Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (TBG), which is seen in west and central Africa, and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (TBR), seen in eastern and southern Africa. TBG is a chronic infection, while TBR is an acute, rare and rapidly progressive form. Similar symptoms are seen in both forms.
Fever, Headaches, Joint Pain and Itching
A red sore is seen after being bitten by the tsetse fly, and the other symptoms sometimes take weeks and months to be seen. The first common symptoms are fever, headaches, joint pains and itching. These develop as the parasite is maturing within the blood stream and are produced by the body's immune system to fight off any infection.
TBG is the more common form of the disease. It is seen in more than 90 percent of people with sleeping sickness. Sometimes symptoms are not evident for many months and even years after being infected. With TBR, though similar symptoms are seen as with TBG, the symptoms are much more evident, and central nervous system involvement usually occurs within the first month of infection.
Neurological Symptoms
After the parasite has matured within the blood stream, it eventually crosses the blood brain barrier and enters the central nervous system. This is when neurological symptoms that are characteristic of the African sleeping sickness disease develop. These symptoms include confusion, mood disorders, behavior changes and bad headaches. This is also when altered sleeping habits are seen as the sleep cycle is affected. Patients sleep during the day and are awake at night. Without treatment, this disease is fatal.
Weight Loss
Weight loss is another non-specific symptom experienced with people with African sleeping sickness. It becomes more evident as the disease progresses, ultimately having the patient reduced to a meager size during the advanced stages of the disease.
