Lecture on African Trypanosomiasis: A Parasitic Disease Transmitted by Tsetse Flies

:earth_africa: African trypanosomiasis, also known as African sleeping sickness, is a disease restricted to the African continent.

:mosquito: The disease is transmitted by a vector known as the set c fly.

:map: There are two species of Trypanosoma that cause the disease, each with their own clinical manifestations.

:pig: In West Africa, the infection is primarily found in humans and domestic pigs. In East Africa, it affects game animals such as elephants and wildebeest.

:cattle: The distribution of trypanosomiasis is influenced by the presence of the set c fly, which affects animal husbandry and human population distribution in Africa.

African trypanosomiasis is a disease caused by trypanosomes that can infect both animals and humans.

The disease is transmitted through the bites of infected flies.

Infection can lead to symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes and lethargy.

🦟 The vector for African Trypanosomiasis is a large biting fly known as the sexy fly.

🌍 The density of sexy flies is higher in West Africa along the riverbanks compared to East Africa's open savanna.

🏞️ Living further away from the river bank than the flight range of the fly is the best way to avoid infection in West Africa.

The African Trypanosomiasis parasite has the ability to change its outer coating in response to the host.

The parasite's surface proteins form an impervious barrier to the host's immune attack.

The parasite undergoes antigenic variation, producing different protein variants over its lifespan.

🔬 It is difficult to develop a vaccine for African Trypanosomiasis due to the variability of antigens.

🏥 A clinical vignette is presented to illustrate the pathogenesis of African Trypanosomiasis.

💉 There are two distinct forms of African Trypanosomiasis: one rapid and one slow progressive.

Diagnosis of African trypanosomiasis depends on finding the organism in various samples.

Screening programs and serological tests like the card agglutination test are important in diagnosis.

Treatment for early stages of the disease differs based on species, with pentamidine as a preferred option in West Africa and suramin in East Africa.

🔍 Prevention and control are important for dealing with African Trypanosomiasis.

🦟 Controlling the vector, the set c fly, is crucial in East Africa.

🌍 The distribution of the set c fly affects the spread of the infection.