VIOLIN: Vaccine Investigation and Online Information Network

Pathogen Page

Trypanosoma brucei

I. General Information

1. NCBI Taxonomy ID:

2. Disease:

African trypanosomiasis (African Sleeping Sickness)

3. Introduction

Trypanosomes are hemoflagellated protozoan parasites causing African sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals in Africa. African sleeping sickness is caused by the species Trypanosoma brucei. The incidence of disease in humans has increased 100-fold in the past 40 years, where about 55 million people and 25 million cattle have been estimated to be at risk of contracting African sleeping sickness or nagana. A total of 500,000 people estimated to be infected per year with 60,000 annual deaths. Treatment of African sleeping sickness has not advanced greatly in the last 50 years and is often highly toxic. Trypanosomiasis control programs aimed at eradication of the most common vector, the tsetse fly, though adequate if well managed, have not been fully effective (Rasooly and Balaban, 2004).

4. Microbial Pathogenesis

These obligate parasites have two hosts - an insect vector and mammalian host. Because of the large difference between these hosts the trypanosome undergoes complex changes during its life cycle to facilitate its survival in the insect gut and the mammalian bloodstream. It also features a unique and notable variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat in order to avoid the host's immune system (Wiki: T. brucei).

Loading Pathogen Genes...

Loading Host Genes...

Loading Vaccines...

Loading References...

Table of Contents