TY - JOUR
KW - Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
KW - Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT)
KW - Sleeping sickness
KW - Transmission
KW - Transmission paradox
AU - Capewell P
AU - Atkins K
AU - Weir W
AU - Jamonneau V
AU - Camara M
AU - Clucas C
AU - Swar N
AU - Ngoyi DM
AU - Rotureau B
AU - Garside P
AU - Galvani AP
AU - Bucheton B
AU - MacLeod A
AB - <p>Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or African sleeping sickness, is a fatal disease found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is close to elimination in many areas, although it was similarly close to elimination once before and subsequently reemerged, despite seemingly low rates of transmission. Determining how these foci persisted and overcame an apparent transmission paradox is key to finally eliminating HAT. By assessing clinical, laboratory, and mathematical data, we propose that asymptomatic infections contribute to transmission through the presence of an overlooked reservoir of skin-dwelling parasites. Our assessment suggests that a combination of asymptomatic and parasitaemic cases is sufficient to maintain transmission at foci without animal reservoirs, and we argue that the current policy not to treat asymptomatic HAT should be reconsidered.</p>

BT - PLoS biology
C1 - <p>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30633739?dopt=Abstract</p>

DO - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000105
IS - 1
J2 - PLoS Biol.
LA - eng
N2 - <p>Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or African sleeping sickness, is a fatal disease found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is close to elimination in many areas, although it was similarly close to elimination once before and subsequently reemerged, despite seemingly low rates of transmission. Determining how these foci persisted and overcame an apparent transmission paradox is key to finally eliminating HAT. By assessing clinical, laboratory, and mathematical data, we propose that asymptomatic infections contribute to transmission through the presence of an overlooked reservoir of skin-dwelling parasites. Our assessment suggests that a combination of asymptomatic and parasitaemic cases is sufficient to maintain transmission at foci without animal reservoirs, and we argue that the current policy not to treat asymptomatic HAT should be reconsidered.</p>

PY - 2019
EP - e3000105
T2 - PLoS biology
TI - Resolving the apparent transmission paradox of African sleeping sickness.
UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000105&type=printable
VL - 17
SN - 1545-7885
ER -