Beware Of This Fly – It Might Make You Sleep Much More

Sleeping sickness is a parasite disease which is often found in African countries in the region below Sahara. There are two species of parasite that cause this disease: Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

The first one appears in the west part of Africa and it infects animals and people. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense appears in the central and south parts of Africa and this parasite infects only animals. This disease was discovered first in the 14 century, but the first scientist who discovered the cause and transmitter of this parasite was David Bruce in 1902 year.

The insect that transmits the trypanosome is tse-tse fly. The fly feeds on blood. When the fly drinks blood from an infected animal or person, one small part of the parasite always moves into the fly’s intestine.

In the intestine, the parasite splits into more and then they all enter the salivary glands. When the fly feed on blood people the parasite enters the blood. This process lasts over a period of three weeks. During that time, the fly infects as much people as it can.

The first symptoms of sleeping sickness are tension headache and high body temperature. Then the parasite attacks kidneys and the endocrine system, and it progresses with infecting the nerve system, including the brain. Because of that, people have the uncontrollable urge to sleep. This sickness could be fatal if not treated.