Clinical features
One can never miss the bite of a tsetse fly, as it leaves its victims in the throes of pain. A red sore technically called as ‘Chancre’ follows. Some of the common symptoms of sleeping sickness are:
- Fever, severe headache, rash.
- Irritability, swelling around the eye and hands, extreme fatigue.
- Swollen lymph nodes on the back of the neck (Winterbottom's sign), aching muscles and joints.
- Mood changes
- Weight loss occurs as the illness progresses.
- As the infection progresses, personality changes become evident and the victim appears to be confused. In addition to these symptoms, victims may experience slurring of speech, and/or seizures. Some victims portray difficulty while walking. This is especially the case when the nervous system gets affected.
- Sleeping for long periods of the day and having sleeplessness or insomnia at night is a common symptom.
If left untreated, infection becomes worse resulting in coma. Death occurs within several weeks or months.
In case of Chagas disease the three stages have different symptoms.
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Acute stage:
- Romana's sign (person's eye on one side of the face swells usually at the site of previous insect bite).
- Lymphadenopathy
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Fatigue
- Fever
Symptoms last for 4 to 8 weeks and then disappear without treatment.
Intermediate stage:
During this stage, infected persons do not have symptoms. This stage lasts for many years.
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Chronic stage:
Serious symptoms occur such as
- Cardiac problems including an enlarged heart, altered heart rate or rhythm, heart failure.
- Enlarged esophagus could cause difficulty in swallowing. This could also lead to problems in bowel movement or constipation.
