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The Types of Trypanosoma

Trypanosomes are a type of parasite that can transmit disease. In humans trypanosoma develops through the introduction of the parasite either through the tsetse fly or triatomine bug, depending on the disease. Three types of trypanosoma affect people throughout the Americas and Africa: Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (East African trypanosomiasis) and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (West African trypanosomiasis). Without treatment, these diseases can result in serious illness and even death.

  1. Chagas Disease

    • Commonly referred to as American trypanosomiasis, chagas affects up to 11 million people throughout Mexico, Central and South America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infected triatomine bugs transmit the disease to people, often by biting them on their faces. Infected triatomine bugs harbor T. cruzi parasites in their fecal waste. After biting a human, the triatomine bug defecates on its host. A human can then transfer the disease by rubbing the fecal waste into a mucous membrane, such as in the mouth, or into an open wound and then become infected. Disease transmission also occurs through organ donation, blood transfusion, transmission from mother to her fetus and through ingestion of contaminated food infected by the triatomine bug.

    East African Trypanosomiasis

    • Two types of African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness exists, depending on the region where the disease is found. Typically, East African trypanosomiasis exists throughout Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. East African trypanosomiasis has also infected people of Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zaire. The tsetse fly causes East African trypanosomiasis, affecting only a few hundred people yearly, according to the CDC. It is possible for a pregnant woman to transmit African trypanosomiasis to her fetus. Transmission can also occur through transfusion and organ donation, though the likelihood of such transmission is rare.

    West African Trypanosomiasis

    • West African trypanosomiasis affects those living throughout West Africa and in some parts of central Africa. The tsetse fly is also responsible for the transmission of this disease, which sickens nearly 10,000 people yearly, according to the CDC. As with East African Trypanosomiasis, rare occurrences of the disease occur through fetal transmission and blood transfusion.

    Symptoms

    • Two phases develop with chagas disease. The acute phase begins as swelling at the bite site. Flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches and headache also develop. The chronic phase can manifest 10 to 20 years after the initial infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. The chronic phase can include enlarged heart, heart failure and cardiac arrest. In East African trypanosomiasis, symptoms can develop up to one month after infection. A chancre sore will develop, followed by flu-like symptoms. Confusion and death results in untreated persons. West African trypanosomiasis develops with a chancre sore, followed by swelling of the upper extremities, rash and fever months after the initial infection. Death with West African trypanosomiasis can occur years after the infection.

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