title: Late-stage human African trypanosomiasis in a Sudanese refugee.
abstract: A 19-year-old Sudanese woman, who had lived for about a decade in Ugandan refugee camps, was referred for investigation of a 12-month history of a generalised rash. Two months later, her condition had deteriorated to include cachexia and drowsiness. Despite initial negative findings on investigation, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) was suspected, and parasites were found in a double-centrifuged sample of cerebrospinal fluid. Eflornithine, the appropriate drug for treatment of late-stage disease, was obtained through the World Health Organization. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties in managing late-stage HAT in a non-endemic country.
authors.affiliation: Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia. pcherian1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.forename: Ralph K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Junckerstorff
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumarasinghe
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morling
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tuch
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raven
authors.forename: Ronan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Heath
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000469:parasitology; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012036:Refugees; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D000518:Eflornithine