Immunophenotypic lymphocyte profiles in human african trypanosomiasis.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a deadly vector-born disease caused by an extracellular parasite, the trypanosome. Little is known about the cellular immune responses elicited by this parasite in humans. We used multiparameter flow cytometry to characterize leukocyte immunophenotypes in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 33 HAT patients and 27 healthy controls identified during a screening campaign in Angola and Gabon.

Increased CXCL-13 levels in human African trypanosomiasis meningo-encephalitis.

Objectives: To determine the role of the B-cell attracting chemokine CXCL-13, which may initiate B-cell trafficking and IgM production in diagnosing HAT meningo-encephalitis.

Methods: We determined CXCL-13 levels by ELISA on paired sera and CSF of 26 patients from Angola and of 16 controls (six endemic and ten non-endemic). Results were compared to standard stage determination markers and IgM intrathecal synthesis.

A link between chemokine levels and disease severity in human African trypanosomiasis.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection is an important public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. This parasitic disease is difficult to diagnose due to insidious clinical signs and transient parasitaemias. The clinical course is marked by two stages of increasing disease severity.