Sleeping sickness, also called African trypanosomiasis, is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by an infected tsetse fly. The tsetse fly is found only in sub-Saharan Africa.
There are two types of sleeping sickness, East African and West African. East African sleeping sickness progresses more quickly, within one to several weeks of exposure.
Symptoms of sleeping sickness include headache, fever, fatigue, skin rash, muscle aches, and a chancre (red sore) at the site of the bite. Late stages of illness may involve symptoms of the central nervous system, including drowsiness, severe headache, mood disorders, behavior change, and endocrine disorders.
If the disease is not treated, it can be fatal.
