Sleeping sickness in children

Abstract

Twenty-three cases of Sleeping Sickness in children have been analysed at the Arthur Davison Hospital and Mukinge Hospital during the past five years. The overall mortality was 34.8%. This was especially high when trypanosomes were found in the CSF (43.8%), in patients with a CSF cell count greater than 101 /cumm (50.0%), and in patients with associated protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) (30.0%). Some clinical features of sleeping sickness (SS) in children are discussed and the therapeutic approach reviewed. The importance of early diagnosis is stressed.