trypanosomiasis

trypanosomiasis
/tri pan'euh soh muy"euh sis, trip'euh neuh-/, n. Pathol.
any infection caused by a trypanosome.
[1900-05; TRYPANOSOME + -IASIS]

* * *

 infectious disease in both humans and animals caused by certain members of the flagellate protozoa genus Trypanosoma and spread by certain bloodsucking insects.

      The genus Trypanosoma belongs to the family Trypanosomatidae, which is in the order Kinetoplastida. The life cycle of trypanosomes includes a stage spent in blood or other tissues of a vertebrate host and a stage in the gut of an invertebrate, typically a fly.

      About 20 species of Trypanosoma are known, of which only two—T. cruzi and T. brucei—cause disease in humans. Each species is responsible for a different disease. T. cruzi causes American trypanosomiasis, also called Chagas' disease (q.v.), which occurs primarily in the Central and South American tropics and is spread by the bite of insects of the family Reduviidae, also known as “kissing bugs.” The parasite multiplies in the bloodstream and may enter the heart, liver, and spleen, where it causes extensive damage. T. brucei is responsible for African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness (q.v.), which occurs in equatorial Africa in two forms, both transmitted by the tse-tse fly (Glossina). East African, or Rhodesian, sleeping sickness is an acute form of the disease caused by the subspecies T. brucei rhodesiense. West African, or Gambian, trypanosomiasis is a slower-developing chronic form of the disease caused by T. brucei gambiense. Both organisms can eventually invade the brain, causing mental deterioration, coma, and death.

      Other Trypanosoma species cause economically important diseases in livestock: nagana, dourine, surra, and mal de caderas.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Trypanosomiasis — Classification and external resources ICD 10 B56 B …   Wikipedia

  • trypanosomiasis — [trip΄ə nə sō mī′ə sis, tri pan΄əsō mī′ə sis] n. [ModL: see TRYPANOSOME & IASIS] any disease caused by a trypanosome …   English World dictionary

  • Trypanosomiasis — Die Krankheit Trypanosomiasis gliedert sich in Afrikanische Trypanosomiasis Amerikanische Trypanosomiasis (siehe: Chagas Krankheit) Trypanosomiasis bei Tieren (siehe: Trypanosomen, Nagana) Diese Seite ist eine …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • trypanosomiasis — Any disease caused by a trypanosome. SYN: trypanosomosis. acute t. SYN: Rhodesian t.. African t. a serious endemic disease in tropical Africa, of two types: Gambian or West African t. and Rhodesian or East African t.. American t. See South… …   Medical dictionary

  • trypanosomiasis — n. any disease caused by the presence of parasitic protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma. The two most important diseases are Chagas disease (South American trypanosomiasis) and sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • Trypanosomiasis — Trypano|somi̱a|sis [zu ↑Trypanosoma] w; ,Trypanosomiasis...ia̱|sen (in fachspr. Fügungen: ...i̱a|ses): Schlafkrankheit, durch Trypanosomen hervorgerufene Infektionskrankheit, die vor allem durch Schlafsucht, nervöse Störungen und Auszehrung… …   Das Wörterbuch medizinischer Fachausdrücke

  • trypanosomiasis — noun (plural trypanosomiases) Etymology: New Latin Date: 1902 infection with or disease caused by trypanosomes …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • trypanosomiasis — (tri pan o so mi ah sis) An infection with trypanosomes that live in the blood and lymph of the infected host …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • trypanosomiasis — Disease caused by Trypanosoma …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • trypanosomiasis — noun Any of several diseases or infections caused by a trypanosome …   Wiktionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”