African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

Jump to navigation Jump to search

African trypanosomiasis Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating African trypanosomiasis from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

X Ray

CT Scan

MRI

Ultrasound

Other Imaging Findings

Other Diagnostic Studies

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Surgery

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Case #1

African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology On the Web

Most recent articles

Most cited articles

Review articles

CME Programs

Powerpoint slides

Images

American Roentgen Ray Society Images of African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

All Images
X-rays
Echo & Ultrasound
CT Images
MRI

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse

NICE Guidance

FDA on African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

CDC on African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology in the news

Blogs on African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

Directions to Hospitals Treating African trypanosomiasis

Risk calculators and risk factors for African trypanosomiasis pathophysiology

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Pilar Almonacid; Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

African trypanosomiasis is a human tropical parasitic disease usually caused by a protozoan hemoflagellates belonging to the complex Trypanosoma brucei. A trypanosomal chancre develops on the site of inoculation. This is followed by a hemolymphatic stage with symptoms that include fever, lymphadenopathy, and pruritus. In the meningoencephalitic stage, invasion of the central nervous system can cause headaches, somnolence, abnormal behavior, and lead to loss of consciousness and coma. The course of infection is much more acute with T. b. rhodesiense than T. b. gambiense. Clinical manifestations generally appear within 1–3 weeks of the infective bite for T. b. rhodesiense and months to years for T. b. gambiense.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Pathophysiology

African trypanosomiasis is a human tropical parasitic disease usually caused by a protozoan hemoflagellates belonging to the complex Trypanosoma brucei. A trypanosomal chancre develops on the site of inoculation. This is followed by a hemolymphatic stage with symptoms that include fever, lymphadenopathy, and pruritus. In the meningoencephalitic stage, invasion of the central nervous system can cause headaches, somnolence, abnormal behavior, and lead to loss of consciousness and coma. The course of infection is much more acute with T. b. rhodesiense than T. b. gambiense. Clinical manifestations generally appear within 1–3 weeks of the infective bite for T. b. rhodesiense and months to years for T. b. gambiense.[1][2][3][4][5][8][7]

Stages of infection

Transmission

Incubation period

  • Clinical manifestations generally appear within 1–3 weeks of the infective bite for T. b. rhodesiense and months to years for T. b. gambiense.

Reservoir

Human cycle

Tsetse fly cycle

  • The tsetse fly becomes infected with bloodstream trypomastigotes when taking a blood meal on an infected mammalian host
  • In the fly’s midgut, the parasites transform into procyclic trypomastigotes, multiply by binary fission
  • Procyclic trypomastigotes leave the midgut, and transform into epimastigotes
  • The epimastigotes reach the fly’s salivary glands and continue multiplication by binary fission
  • The cycle in the fly takes approximately 3 weeks.
Life cycle of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense

Infective stage of the parasite

  • Metacyclic trypomastigotes

Diagnostic stage of the parasite

Pathogenesis

Immune response

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness): epidemiological update". Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec. 81 (8): 71–80. 2006. PMID 16673459.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Kato CD, Matovu E, Mugasa CM, Nanteza A, Alibu VP (2016). "The role of cytokines in the pathogenesis and staging of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense sleeping sickness". Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 12: 4. doi:10.1186/s13223-016-0113-5. PMC 4722787. PMID 26807135.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ferella M, Nilsson D, Darban H, Rodrigues C, Bontempi EJ, Docampo R, Andersson B (2008). "Proteomics in Trypanosoma cruzi--localization of novel proteins to various organelles". Proteomics. 8 (13): 2735–49. doi:10.1002/pmic.200700940. PMC 2706665. PMID 18546153.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Sternberg JM (2004). "Human African trypanosomiasis: clinical presentation and immune response". Parasite Immunol. 26 (11–12): 469–76. doi:10.1111/j.0141-9838.2004.00731.x. PMID 15771682.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Macleod ET, Darby AC, Maudlin I, Welburn SC (2007). "Factors affecting trypanosome maturation in tsetse flies". PLoS ONE. 2 (2): e239. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000239. PMC 1797825. PMID 17318257.
  6. . doi:10.1016/S0140- 6736(09)60829-1 Check |doi= value (help). Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. 7.0 7.1 "CDC - African Trypanosomiasis - Biology".
  8. . doi:10.1016/S0140- 6736(09)60829-1 Check |doi= value (help). Missing or empty |title= (help)