Trypanosomiasis is also known as sleeping sickness. Sleeping sickness is caused by one of two organisms, T. brucei rhodesiense and T. brucei gambiense. Flies called tsetse flies carry the infection. Once the fly bites, the infection spreads through the blood, causing episodes of fever, headache, sweating, and swelling of the lymph nodes. When the infection spreads to the central nervous system, it causes the symptoms typical of sleeping sickness. Behavioral changes such as fear and mood swings occur, followed by headache, fever, insomnia and weakness. The infection may lead to drowsiness during the day, but insomnia at night and hence it is known as Sleeping sickness. Sleep becomes uncontrollable as the disease gets worse, and eventually leads to coma. |