ANFS332 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Tsetse Fly, Variant Surface Glycoprotein, Sub-Saharan Africa
27 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Trypanosomes: a protozoa in the order kinetoplastida, a group of colorless flagellates possessing one or two flagella in some stage of their life cycle. African trypanosomes: sleeping sickness affects ~66 million people in 37 tsetse fly infested countries of sub-saharan africa who are exposed to the risk of the disease. Only about 4 million are under any surveillance: sleeping sickness is invariably fatal if not treated. The disease affects productivity of livestock by inducing abortions, depriving farmers of milk, meat and draught oxen for ploughing and transport. Economic losses in cattle production are estimated at us $ 1-1. 2 billion. This is a considerable loss in a region where more than half of the population live under conditions of extreme poverty by un standards. Transmission: trypanosomes are primarily transmitted by tsetse flies. Immune response: african trypanosomes can be found in the blood and lymphatic fluids, body organs and tissues of their hosts, but do not invade cells, (unlike their south.
