Question

Sleeping sickness in humans is caused by
(A) Trypanosoma
(B) Entamoeba
(C) Plasmodium
(D) Leishmania

Answer 1

Hint: Sleeping sickness, also known as “Human African Trypanosomiasis”, is a widespread tropical disease that can be fatal if left untreated. It is transmitted by the bite of an infected tsetse fly (genus Glossina), a species native to the African continent

Complete step by step answer:
An infection where the germs are carried by certain flies is called Sleeping. It leads to the swelling of the brain. It is caused usually by two germs (protozoa), namely Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. The most severe form of the disease is caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.
Tsetse flies carry the infection. When an infected fly bites you, the infection is spread through the blood.

Additional information:
Entamoeba causes amoebic dysentery.
Plasmodium causes malaria.
Leishmania causes kala-azar.
General symptoms of sleeping sickness include:
- Mood swings, anxiety
- Fever, sweating
- Headache
- Weakness
- Insomnia at night
- I dream during the day
The Rhodesian and Gambian trypanosome can affect other animals such as livestock and wildlife.
The reservoir of this infection is in domestic animals and wild animals. Cattle have been implicated in the spread of the disease to new areas and local foci. It is believed that a reservoir of wildlife is responsible for sporadic transmission to hunters and visitors to game parks. Infection from international occurs very rarely from foreigners but occasionally, and most cause of sleeping sickness is imported to the United States of America that have occurred from the travelers from East Africa.
So, the correct answer is ‘Trypanosoma’.

Note: By taking insect controlling measures can help prevent the spread of sleeping sickness, especially in high- risk areas. Sleeping sickness can also be cured with proper medication but is dangerous if left untreated.