PERMANENTLY EXCLUDE:

•  If donor has/had confirmed or suspected Sleeping Sickness

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Human African Trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, is a vectorborne parasitic disease. It is caused by infection with protozoan parasites and is transmitted to humans by tsetse fly bites which have acquired their infection from human beings or from animals harbouring human pathogenic parasites. Tsetse flies are found in sub-Saharan Africa usually in rural populations. Symptoms include fever, headaches, joint pains and itching and can also cause more serious symptoms of neurological complications e.g. changes of behaviour, confusion, sensory disturbances and poor coordination. Disturbance of the sleep cycle, which gives the disease its name, is also a clinical sign of African Trypanosomiasis