title: West-African trypanosomiasis in a returned traveller from Ghana: an unusual cause of progressive neurological decline.
abstract: West-African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is a rare imported infection presenting with somnolence, lymphadenopathy and wide-ranging neurological symptoms. A 67-year-old Caucasian man presented with a 10-month history of cognitive deterioration, ataxic gait, somnolence and urinary incontinence. His symptoms had progressed more rapidly over the course of a month prior to admission. Serological testing confirmed a diagnosis of West-African trypanosomiasis. The patient was successfully treated with eflornithine and made a good recovery. West-African trypanosomiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained cognitive decline in those with a relevant travel history. If left untreated, the condition is universally fatal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nottingham University Hospitals City Campus, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, UK.
authors.forename: Trupti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, USA.
authors.forename: Jagrit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nottingham University Hospitals City Campus, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Pradhib
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D005869:Ghana / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014195:Travel; D014347:Trypanosoma brucei gambiense / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology