Trypanosomiasis

In African sleeping sickness, the causative organisms, T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei rhodiense, initially live and grow in the blood. The parasite invades the CNS, causing an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord that produces the characteristic lethargy and, eventually, continuous sleep. Chagas disease (American sleeping sickness) is caused by T. cruzi and occurs in South America.