Clinical medicine (London, England)
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Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness is a parasitic disease, acquired by the bite of an infected tsetse fly. In non-endemic countries HAT is rare, and therefore the diagnosis may be delayed leading to potentially fatal consequences. In this article the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of the two forms of HAT are outlined. Rhodesiense HAT is an acute illness that presents in tourists who have recently visited game parks in Eastern or Southern Africa, whereas Gambiense HAT has a more chronic clinical course, in individuals from West or Central Africa.
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Schistosomiasis is one of the major parasitic diseases of the tropics, causing acute and long-term clinical syndromes. Almost all schistosomiasis is now imported from sub-Saharan Africa. This article summarises the aetiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of schistosomiaisis for clinicians in non-endemic countries.