African sleeping sickness in tourists returning from Tanzania: the first 2 Italian cases from a small outbreak among European travelers

Clin Infect Dis. 2002 Jan 1;34(1):E18-22. doi: 10.1086/338157. Epub 2001 Nov 19.

Abstract

A recent cluster of cases of African trypanosomiasis in humans (HAT) has been reported in tourists (most of whom were European) returning from Tanzania; we describe the first 2 patients (both of whom were Italian travelers) with HAT, who have been treated successfully. Because neither vaccine nor drug prophylaxis is currently recommended and/or available for persons traveling to areas of endemicity, physicians should be alerted about this uncommon but potentially life-threatening disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Tanzania / epidemiology
  • Travel
  • Trypanosoma brucei gambiense*
  • Trypanosomiasis, African / epidemiology*
  • Trypanosomiasis, African / transmission