Diagnosis of Rhodesian sleeping sickness in the Lambwe Valley (1980-1984).

In primary Rhodesian sleeping sickness patients, parasitological diagnosis was best performed by rodent inoculation of blood (98.5%+) followed by Giemsa-stained thick blood smears (93.3%+).

Sleeping sickness in the Lambwe Valley in 1978.

Even though tsetse control measures were discontinued in the Lambwe Valley in 1974 the prevalence of Rhodesian sleeping sickness remained at low levels. A survey conducted in 1978 verified a low prevalence of disease (0.1%).

The Lambwe Valley and its people.

By 1936 the Lambwe Valley, which had been heavily populated in the early years of this century, was nearly devoid of people. Population since that time has increased markedly as a result of a settlement scheme and efforts made to control and eradicate Glossina pallidipes and trypanosomiasis. The formation of a game reserve (now a National Park) prevented the completion of a tsetse eradication programme and has provided an unmolested habitat for both G.