Trypanosomiasis

Overview

Journal Brain Pathol

Date 1997 Jan 1

PMID 9034568

Citations 14

Authors

L Chimelli

F Scaravilli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

African (sleeping sickness) and American (Chagas' disease) trypanosomiasis, caused by protozoa of the family Trypanosomatidae, are diseases that are endemic in parts of Africa and Latin America, respectively. Physicians in developed countries may occasionally see cases because of extensive travel and immigration from endemic countries. Although neurological involvement is common in both, its incidence and clinical presentation differ considerably. African trypanosomiasis, caused by subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei (T b rhodesiense, T b gambiense), is transmitted by the tsetse fly and causes meningoencephalitis, in which somnolence is a prominent feature. Parasites may reach the brain parenchyma through the choroid plexus or the Virchow Robin spaces. American trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is transmitted by reduviid bugs. While lesions in the central nervous system are not prominent, except in the reactivated forms which occur in immunodeficient patients, the peripheral nerve, mainly the autonomic nervous system, is frequently involved, leading to the cardiomegaly and the digestive megaviscera. Congenital infections may also occur. In this paper we give an account of the epidemiology, clinical presentation and pathological features of these two protozoal infections based on human and experimental studies of both the central and peripheral nervous system.

Citing Articles

, and in fleas from the long-tailed ground squirrel () in northwestern China.

Han X, Zhao S, Liu Z, Zhang Y, Zhao G, Zhang C Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2024; 24:100958.

PMID: 39040597 PMC: 11261052. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100958.

Promising Antiparasitic Natural and Synthetic Products from Marine Invertebrates and Microorganisms.

Zhang M, Zhang Q, Zhang Q, Cui X, Zhu L Mar Drugs. 2023; 21(2).

PMID: 36827125 PMC: 9965275. DOI: 10.3390/md21020084.

Blood Parasites and Health Status of Hibernating and Non-Hibernating Noctule Bats ().

Linhart P, Bandouchova H, Zukal J, Votypka J, Balaz V, Heger T Microorganisms. 2022; 10(5).

PMID: 35630470 PMC: 9143927. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051028.

Neuropathogenesis caused by , still an enigma to be unveiled.

Figarella K Microb Cell. 2021; 8(4):73-76.

PMID: 33816592 PMC: 8010903. DOI: 10.15698/mic2021.04.745.

Recombinant antibody against Trypanosoma cruzi from patients with chronic Chagas heart disease recognizes mammalian nervous system.

Niborski L, Potenza M, Chirivi R, Simonetti L, Ossowski M, Grippo V EBioMedicine. 2021; 63:103206.

PMID: 33429173 PMC: 7809174. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103206.

References

Pentreath V, Owolabi A, Doua F . Survival of Trypanosoma brucei brucei in cerebrospinal fluid. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1992; 86(1):29-34. DOI: 10.1080/00034983.1992.11812627. View

Pittella J . Central nervous system involvement in experimental Trypanosomiasis cruzi. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991; 86(2):141-5. DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02761991000200001. View

Leiguarda R, RONCORONI A, Taratuto A, Jost L, Berthier M, Nogues M . Acute CNS infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas' disease) in immunosuppressed patients. Neurology. 1990; 40(5):850-1. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.40.5.850. View

SCHWARTZBURD H, KOEBERLE F . [Changas' myelopathy]. Z Tropenmed Parasitol. 1959; 10:309-14. View

Losavio A, Jones M, Sanz O, Mirkin G, Gonzalez Cappa S, Muchnik S . A sequential study of the peripheral nervous system involvement in experimental Chagas' disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1989; 41(5):539-47. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1989.41.539. View

Haller L, Adams H, Merouze F, Dago A . Clinical and pathological aspects of human African trypanosomiasis (T. b. gambiense) with particular reference to reactive arsenical encephalopathy. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1986; 35(1):94-9. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1986.35.94. View

ANDRADE Z, LOPES E, Prata S . [Changes in the heart conduction system in Chagasic patients suffering sudden death]. Arq Bras Cardiol. 1987; 48(1):5-9. View

Costa R, Gallina R . [Anterior hypothalamus in human Chagas' disease]. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 1971; 13(2):92-8. View

Villanueva M . Trypanosomiasis of the central nervous system. Semin Neurol. 1993; 13(2):209-18. DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1041127. View

10.

Nascimento O, de Freitas M, Chimelli L . [Axonal polyneuropathy in Chagas disease]. Rev Neurol (Paris). 1991; 147(10):679-81. View

11.

Solari A, Saavedra H, Sepulveda C, Oddo D, Acuna G, Labarca J . Successful treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi encephalitis in a patient with hemophilia and AIDS. Clin Infect Dis. 1993; 16(2):255-9. DOI: 10.1093/clind/16.2.255. View

12.

SPINA-FRANCA A . [American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and the nervous system]. Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales. 1988; 81(3 Pt 2):645-9. View

13.

Hontebeyrie-Joskowicz M, Tricottet V, Eisen H, Reynes M, Said G . Persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi antigens in the inflammatory lesions of chronically infected mice. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1988; 82(1):77-83. DOI: 10.1016/0035-9203(88)90269-6. View

14.

DE QUEIROZ A . Tumor-like lesion of the brain caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1973; 22(4):473-6. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1973.22.473. View

15.

Gonzalez Cappa S, Sanz O, Muller L, Molina H, Fernandez J, Rimoldi M . Peripheral nervous system damage in experimental chronic Chagas' disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1987; 36(1):41-5. DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.1987.36.41. View

16.

JENNINGS F, Hunter C, Kennedy P, Murray M . Chemotherapy of Trypanosoma brucei infection of the central nervous system: the use of a rapid chemotherapeutic regimen and the development of post-treatment encephalopathies. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1993; 87(2):224-6. DOI: 10.1016/0035-9203(93)90502-h. View

17.

KOBERLE F . The causation and importance of nervous lesions in American trypanosomiasis. Bull World Health Organ. 1970; 42(5):739-43. PMC: 2427480. View

18.

Sica R, Filipini D, Panizza M, Fumo T, Baso S, Lazzari J . Involvement of the peripheral sensory nervous system in human chronic Chagas disease. Medicina (B Aires). 1986; 46(6):662-8. View

19.

Oka M, Ito Y, Furuya M, Osaki H . Trypanosoma gambiense: immunosuppression and polyclonal B-cell activation in mice. Exp Parasitol. 1984; 58(2):209-14. DOI: 10.1016/0014-4894(84)90036-5. View

20.

Adams J, Haller L, Boa F, Doua F, Dago A, Konian K . Human African trypanosomiasis (T.b. gambiense): a study of 16 fatal cases of sleeping sickness with some observations on acute reactive arsenical encephalopathy. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 1986; 12(1):81-94. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.1986.tb00682.x. View