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Rural African Travel Poses Risk of Sleeping Sickness

A boring looking fly is the cause of a systemic disease that occurs with some frequency in certain areas of Africa. The tsetse fly carries a parasite, a different one depending on the area of Africa which causes trypanosomiasis also known as sleeping sickness. It is the rural areas of East and West Africa that are often affected and the parasites are slightly different for each area - East African sleeping sickness is caused by the trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense while the West African one is trypanosome brucei gambiense.

If you happen to be traveling in one of the affected areas of Africa, the tsetse fly looks to be the size of a bumblebee and is grayish-brown. Their bite is what many people remember - it's quite painful! Over 50,000 cases a year is estimated to be affected by this sleeping sickness each year in Africa with most of them attributable to the West African tsetse fly parasite.

Risks for Travelers Contracting the Disease

The largest risk for travelers in contracting the African trypanosomiasis is visiting rural areas. The savannah thicket areas as well as the wooded areas are thick with the parasite carrying tsetse fly as well as the lush vegetation found along rivers, streams and other bodies of water. While infection is rare in travelers, it does happen, with a few cases each year, particularly to visitors who visit the wildlife game parks for a safari. The urban areas of Africa have miniscule risk for the disease.

Symptoms of the Sleeping Sickness

There are a number of different symptoms and they often mimic other tropical diseases found in Africa. Rashes, fever, ulcerated areas of the skin and edema are common. If left untreated, the disease could turn into meningoencephalitis and then death. It takes up to three weeks after the initial bite of the tsetse fly before symptoms are presented. Early treatment shows a very successful cure rate among people who get the disease.

Treatment Options

There are no vaccines available to combat African trypanosomiasis so treatment of symptoms is often the best bet. At the first sign of high fever and other symptoms, medical attention should be sought. There are drug therapies like an anti-trypanosomal therapy which can help cure the disease and they depend on which of the parasites are causing the disease. To determine which parasite it is, your travel itinerary to Africa will be dissected and blood work will be taken to identify the parasite.

It is also important to consult with a tropical disease specialist or a doctor that specializes in travel medicine at the first sign of illness. They are best equipped to help you get the right drug treatments. Visiting a primary care doctor first and waiting for referrals could prolong the process.

Prevention of the Disease

Unfortunately insect repellents do not faze the tsetse flies one bit so the best recourse is to avoid them. They are attracted to contrasting dark colors as well as large movement like vehicles. The flies can easily bite through clothing so avoiding the areas where they are known to be is the best option. Wear medium to heavy fabrics in lighter colors that blend well with the terrain. Make sure the clothing is bound at the ankles and wrist so that the flies cannot easily find entrance to the bare skin on your body. Other than these options, check for travel advisory reports about any disease outbreaks before jetting off to your African adventure.