Human African Trypanosomiasis - A rare case report from India

A young female patient from Ahmedabad city presented with acute febrile illness and bicytopenia (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia). She returned to India after recent visit to East Africa. Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping sickness) was diagnosed by identification of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in peripheral blood smear. She treated successfully with suramin. In India, we account this as second case of HAT after first report before 18 years in the published literature.

Automated summary

A young female patient presented with acute febrile illness and bicytopenia (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia) after returning from a recent visit to East Africa. Human African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping sickness) was diagnosed and successfully treated with suramin. This is the second reported case of HAT in India, 18 years after the first case.