Human African Trypanosomiasis: Progress and Stagnation.
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.
Infectious disease clinics of North America