Trypanosomiasis / Sleeping sickness - Vector

Vector

Human trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease. Cattle, wild mammals and humans act as the reservoir host of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma. Tsetse flies can acquire the parasites by feeding on these animals.

The bloodsucking male and female tsetse flies transfers the parasites to humans by biting. Once inside the human host, trypanosomes multiply and invade most tissues. In rare cases, an infected pregnant woman can pass the infection to her baby or it can be transmitted through blood transfusion or organ transplant.