Culture and Disease

Culture and Disease Paper

HCS/330

February 1, 2010

Ruthie Robinson

Culture and Disease Paper

When thinking of an infectious disease, many come to mind. There are an outstanding amount of diseases that affect different populations. African trypanosomiasis is one of the many infectious diseases that occur in the Saharan Africa. This disease is uncommon in the United States and it is only found in those individuals who may have traveled or resided in Africa. Each year in Africa, there is approximately 500,000 cases of African trypanosomiasis and 50,000 deaths; the actual numbers are believed to be doubled or tripled the estimates because of underreporting and a weak public health infrastructure in the areas most affected (Spira, 2006). Throughout this presentation, I will discuss the cause of the disease, how it is transmitted, and the treatment of the disease. I will also give detailed information on how this particular population is affected by the disease.

African trypanosomiasis is a vector borne parasitic disease. It is also known as, “sleeping

sickness”, which is caused by two organisms. These organisms are called Trypanosoma brucei

rhodesiense and Trypanosomoa brucei gambiense. Each organism’s name was derived from its

founding region, Africa.  Specifically speaking, East African trypanosomiasis is caused by

T.b. rhodesiense. West African trypanosomiasis is caused by T.b. gambiense. Rhodesiense

causes the more severe form of the virus. Both are transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly which

inhabits in Africa. The tsetse fly is described as a gray-brown insect about the size of a honeybee

(Roman, 2008). When an individual is bitten by the infected fly it is extremely painful and a red

swelling may occur at the site of the penetration. Once the infection is spread throughout the

blood, headaches, swelling of the lymph nodes, fever, sweating, and itching may occur. In the

second stage of the disease, some confusion, poor...