Communities' Perception, Knowledge, and Practices Related to Human African Trypanosomiasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: The number of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has significantly reduced, thanks to more effective drugs and screening tools and regular mass screening. However, this potentially jeopardizes HAT control activities, especially community engagement.

Methods: We used an ecological model framework to understand how various factors shape communities' knowledge, perceptions, and behavior in this low endemicity context.

An Active Follow-up Strategy for Serological Suspects of Human African Trypanosomiasis with Negative Parasitology Set up by a Health Zone Team in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The World Health Organization aims for the elimination of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) as a public health problem by 2020 and for full elimination (absence of new cases) by 2030. One of strategies to achieve this is the active follow-up of all HAT serological suspects found during passive screening who have never been re-tested for parasitology. This is important because these cases can maintain HAT transmission and may be responsible for reemergence of the disease.

How Clinical Research Can Contribute to Strengthening Health Systems in Low Resource Countries.

Clinical research on neglected tropical diseases is a challenge in low-resource countries, and the contribution of clinical and operational research to health system strengthening is poorly documented. Developing new, simple, safe, and effective treatments may improve the effectiveness of health systems, and conducting research directly in health structures may have an additional impact. This study describes the process of conducting clinical trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in compliance with international standards, and the role of the trials in strengthening health system functions, including governance, human resources, health information, provision of care, and the equipping of health services with the necessary supplies and infrastructure.

Cardiac alterations in human African trypanosomiasis (T.b. gambiense) with respect to the disease stage and antiparasitic treatment.

Background: In Human African Trypanosomiasis, neurological symptoms dominate and cardiac involvement has been suggested. Because of increasing resistance to the available drugs for HAT, new compounds are desperately needed. Evaluation of cardiotoxicity is one parameter of drug safety, but without knowledge of the baseline heart involvement in HAT, cardiologic findings and drug-induced alterations will be difficult to interpret.