Epidemiology of Rhodesian sleeping sickness in the Lambwe Valley, Kenya

Abstract

A total of 912 cases of sleeping sickness have been recorded from the Lambwe Valley from 1959 to 1984. After a period of decreasing prevalence in the 1970s an outbreak of disease occurred between 1980 and 1984. The incidence of disease for this five-year period was highest in areas adjoining the Ruma National Park, reaching 54‰ in Area I. Attack rates were highest in the 50+ age group (125) and children had significantly lower attack rates (8‰) in this area of peridomestic transmission. Sex ratios of patients (M/F) were near 1·0 in areas in closest proximity to the thickets in the National Park, while in distant areas the ratios rose to 6·0. The distribution of the number of patients within different households was studied; fewer households than expected had 0 or one patient, and more than expected had three or more patients. No difference in attack rates were found between Nilotic and Bantu groups. Twelve different zymodemes were found in 136 stocks of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. Four new zymodemes appeared in 1980 in the latest outbreak and accounted for 73% of the stocks isolated from man during this outbreak. Neutralization tests indicated that each trypanosome zymodeme may also represent a different serodeme.