Human African Trypanosomiasis: Progress and Stagnation

Emmanuel Bottieau; Jan Clerinx

doi:10.1016/j.idc.2018.10.003

Human African Trypanosomiasis: Progress and Stagnation

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2019 Mar;33(1):61-77. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2018.10.003.

Authors

Emmanuel Bottieau¹, Jan Clerinx²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerpen 2000, Belgium. Electronic address: ebottieau@itg.be.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerpen 2000, Belgium.

PMID: 30712768
DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2018.10.003

Abstract

Control efforts have considerably reduced the prevalence of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) due to Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in West/Central Africa and to Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa. Management of T brucei gambiense HAT has recently improved, with new antibody-based rapid diagnostic tests suited for mass screening and clinical care, and simpler treatments, including the nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy and the new oral drug fexinidazole to treat the second stage of the disease. In contrast, no major advance has been achieved for the treatment of T brucei rhodesiense HAT, a zoonosis that occasionally affects short-term travelers to endemic areas.

Keywords: Clinical presentation; Diagnosis; Human African trypanosomiasis; Treatment; Trypanosoma brucei gambiense; Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Africa
Animals
Antiprotozoal Agents / therapeutic use*
Cost of Illness
Drug Therapy, Combination
Humans
Prevalence
Travel
Trypanosomiasis, African / diagnosis*
Trypanosomiasis, African / drug therapy*

Substances

Antiprotozoal Agents