Trypanosomiasis

soma means (body)
They are unicellular flagellate protozoa.
Have spiral

like motion.
Need more than one host to complete its life cycle.
Often transmitted by a vector.
Generally found in intestine, but some time found in blood stream or in heart.

in the Trypanosoma brucei species complex. Three morphologically indistinguishable species

are recognized:
T. brucei infects game animals/livestock (causes nagana)
T. rhodesiense causes E. African trypanosomiasis
T. gambiense causes W. and Central African sleeping sickness
(Some authors consider these as subspecies: T. brucei brucei, T. b. rhodesiense, T. b. gambiense.)

sleeping sickness
Distribution

transfusions are a rare cause of parasitic transmission.
In rare cases,

accidental transmission in the laboratory has been implicated.

The first clinical manifestation of African trypanosomiasis chancre occurs at

the site of inoculation .

not eosinophilia or abnormal liver function.
The total IgM level

is higher in blood and CSF.
A definitive diagnosis of infection requires actual detection of trypanosomes in blood, lymph nodes, CSF, skin chancre aspirates, or bone marrow.
However, symptomatic improvement after empiric treatment is the usual confirmatory test in areas where diagnostic studies are not readily available.

CT scanning and MRI reveal cerebral edema and white matter

enhancement, respectively, in patients with late-stage African trypanosomiasis.
EEG in neurologic involvement usually shows slow wave oscillations (delta waves), a nonspecific finding

heart and midgut, and some time in hind gut causing

giantism of the midgut.