Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - Sleeping sickness is only found in Africa and 36 countries are at risk. It has two typologies named after geographical location: East African Trypanosomiasis and West African Trypanosmiasis. The first strikes mainly animals damaging local economies based on agriculture and livestock farming. The second is a chronic sickness which leads patients to depend entirely on family members.
The disease is transmitted to humans by Tse-Tse fly, a large grey-brown insect similar to a horsefly which bites at night, recognised by the scissors shape fold of its wings when it rests. The insect thrives in hot humid areas, in water, coffee plantations, bush land. Generally the evolution of the sickness is chronic and cyclical. There is no vaccine or means of prevention except to avoid being bitten. It can be effectively treated with medicine.
According to the World Health Organisation 55 million people live in high risk areas and every year an average of 30,000 new cases are reported.
It is called sleeping sickness because its clinical stage is characterised by an alteration of the sleeping-waking rhythm provoked by encephalitis and patients sleep most of the time and anywhere. Death is usually caused by infective complications or lack of food. (AP) (9/6/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:20; Parole:232)
