title: Presentation of trypanosomiasis in nkhotakota.
abstract: In 2002, we identified 28 people in Nkhotakota District who were suffering from Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). Sixteen of these were identified when they presented to the District Hospital with a febrile illness. The remaining twelve were identified through a rural cross-sectional survey, in which 500 people were visited in their homes, persons found to be febrile, were examined by blood film microscopy. Of the 28 people, 50% (14) presented within a month of the onset of symptoms. Sixteen (57%) had splenomegaly, and 24 were anaemic ([Hb] <12 g/dl). Four patients died (14%), of which two were in the late stage of the disease. None of the patients recall having a chancre that could be attributed to the bite of tsetse flies. 9 out of 28 (32%) reported illness longer than 90 days. Of the 9 patients 6 (66%) of them remained in the early stage after reporting illness of 180 days. This study reports on the prevalence and clinical features of Trypansoma brucei rhodesiense infection in a endemic district in Malawi.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Malawi.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chisi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nkhoma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sternberg