Editing African trypanosomiasis (section)

==Prevention==
{{See also|Tsetse fly#Control techniques}}
[[File:PreventionSS.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Capture devices for tsetse flies, on shore and on a boat in Africa. Efforts to prevent sleeping sickness.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rayaisse JB, Salou E, Courtin F, Yoni W, Barry I, Dofini F, Kagbadouno M, Camara M, Torr SJ, Solano P | display-authors = 6 | title = Baited-boats: an innovative way to control riverine tsetse, vectors of sleeping sickness in West Africa | journal = Parasites & Vectors | volume = 8 | page = 236 | date = April 2015 | pmid = 25928366 | pmc = 4436790 | doi = 10.1186/s13071-015-0851-0 | doi-access = free }}</ref>]]
Currently, there are few medically related prevention options for African trypanosomiasis (i.e. no vaccine exists for immunity). Although the risk of infection from a tsetse fly bite is minor (estimated at less than 0.1%), the use of insect repellants, wearing long-sleeved clothing, avoiding tsetse-dense areas, implementing bush clearance methods and wild game culling are the best options to avoid infection available for residents of affected areas.<ref name="Brun10"/>

Regular active and passive surveillance, involving detection and prompt treatment of new infections, and tsetse fly control are the backbone of the strategy used to control sleeping sickness.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Franco |first1=Jose R. |last2=Priotto |first2=Gerardo |last3=Paone |first3=Massimo |last4=Cecchi |first4=Giuliano |last5=Ebeja |first5=Agustin Kadima |last6=Simarro |first6=Pere P. |last7=Sankara |first7=Dieudonne |last8=Metwally |first8=Samia B. A. |last9=Argaw |first9=Daniel Dagne |date=2024-04-16 |title=The elimination of human African trypanosomiasis: Monitoring progress towards the 2021–2030 WHO road map targets |journal=PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |language=en |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=e0012111 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0012111 |issn=1935-2735 |pmc=11073784 |pmid=38626188 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Systematic [[screening (medicine)|screening]] of at-risk communities is the best approach, because case-by-case screening is not practical in endemic regions. Systematic screening may be in the form of mobile clinics or fixed screening centers where teams travel daily to areas with high infection rates. Such screening efforts are important because early symptoms are not evident or serious enough to warrant people with gambiense disease to seek medical attention, particularly in very remote areas. Also, diagnosis of the disease is difficult and health workers may not associate such general symptoms with trypanosomiasis. Systematic screening allows early-stage disease to be detected and treated before the disease progresses and removes the potential human reservoir.<ref>{{cite web |title=Strategic Direction for African Trypanosomiasis Research |url=https://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/tryp/direction.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060322222639/http://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/tryp/direction.htm |archive-date=22 March 2006 |access-date=1 March 2006 |work=Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases}}</ref> A single case of sexual transmission of West African sleeping sickness has been reported.<ref name="rocha" />

In July 2000, a resolution was passed to form the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC). The campaign works to eradicate the tsetse vector population levels and subsequently the protozoan disease, by use of insecticide-impregnated targets, fly traps, insecticide-treated cattle, ultra-low dose aerial/ground spraying (SAT) of tsetse resting sites and the [[sterile insect technique]] (SIT).<ref name="Schofield2008">{{cite journal | vauthors = Schofield CJ, Kabayo JP | title = Trypanosomiasis vector control in Africa and Latin America | journal = Parasites & Vectors | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | page = 24 | date = August 2008 | pmid = 18673535 | pmc = 2526077 | doi = 10.1186/1756-3305-1-24 | doi-access = free }}</ref> The use of SIT in Zanzibar proved effective in eliminating the entire population of tsetse flies but was expensive and is relatively impractical to use in many of the endemic countries afflicted with African trypanosomiasis.<ref name="Brun2010">{{cite journal | vauthors = Brun R, Blum J, Chappuis F, Burri C | title = Human African trypanosomiasis | journal = Lancet | volume = 375 | issue = 9709 | pages = 148–159 | date = January 2010 | pmid = 19833383 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60829-1 | url = https://fieldresearch.msf.org/bitstream/10144/114145/1/091014_Brun_HAT_Lancet-2009-375-148_REVIEW.pdf | access-date = 25 September 2019 | hdl-access = free | quote = See pp. 154–5 | s2cid = 39433996 | archive-date = 27 August 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210827210340/https://fieldresearch.msf.org/bitstream/handle/10144/114145/091014_Brun_HAT_Lancet-2009-375-148_REVIEW.pdf;jsessionid=0B2E69D2637A7050EFDC83615468284D?sequence=1 | hdl = 10144/114145 }}</ref>

A pilot program in [[Senegal]] has reduced the tsetse fly population by as much as 99% by introducing male flies that have been sterilized by exposure to [[gamma ray]]s.<ref>{{cite news | vauthors = Paquette D |date=2019-05-31 |title=A U.S.-funded nuclear project to zap a killer fly into extinction is saving West Africa's cows |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/a-us-funded-nuclear-project-to-zap-a-killer-fly-into-extinction-is-saving-west-africas-cows/2019/05/31/12f92626-7713-11e9-a7bf-c8a43b84ee31_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=2019-06-01}}</ref><ref name="IAEA">{{cite web | title=The Tsetse Fly Eradication Project in Senegal Wins Award for Best Sustainable Development Practices | website=[[IAEA]] | date=23 July 2015 | url=http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsetse-fly-eradication-project-senegal-wins-award-best-sustainable-development-practices | access-date=2021-11-16}}</ref>