International glossina genome initiative 2004-2014: a driver for post-genomic era research on the African continent

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

PLoS neglected tropical diseases

Publication Date

8-1-2014

Abstract

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a neglected disease that impacts 70 million people distributed over 1.55 million km2 in sub-Saharan Africa and includes at least 50% of the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo [1]. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense accounts for more than 98% of the infections in central and West Africa, the remaining infections being from Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa [2]. The parasites are transmitted to the hosts through the bite of an infected tsetse fly. Disease control is challenging as there are no vaccines, and effective, easily delivered drugs are still lacking. Treatment invariably involves lengthy hospitalization, with both medical and socioeconomic consequences. Control of disease can be accomplished, however, through vector control, which largely to date has aimed to reduce insect populations rather than eliminate them. In the mid-1990s, disease cases were increasing but tsetse research and facilities that could maintain tsetse fly colonies were on a decline globally, particularly in Africa. This was also at a time when new scientific advances were being realized in other vector-borne disease systems, particularly building on the revolution in genome sequencing and genome-wide analyses.

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