TITLE:
Human African Trypanosomiasis Successfully Treated with Melarsoprol in Pregnancy in a Niger Delta Rural Hospital
AUTHORS:
Uchechukwu C. Ugoji, Andrew A. Bock-Oruma, Duncan Umukoro, Geraldine U. Ndukwu
KEYWORDS:
African Trypanosomiasis, Sub-Saharan Africa, Pregnancy, Melarsoprol
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.3 No.6,
June
16,
2014
ABSTRACT: Human African
trypanosomiasis (HAT) commonly known as sleeping sickness occurs in
about 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and results in a large
number of deaths and considerable illness. The drugs used in the treatment of
HAT are very toxic and therefore might not be safe in pregnancy. Few published
data exist on the treatment of HAT in pregnancy. We describe a case of T. brucei gambiense infection occurring
in a pregnant woman that was successfully treated with Melarsoprol with
no toxic effect to mother and the baby after 2 years of follow-up.