Review article: Cerebrospinal fluid in human African trypanosomiasis: A key to diagnosis, therapeutic decision and post-treatment follow-up

Abstract

Human African trypanosomiasis is a lethal parasitic infection with neurological involvement. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays an essential role in diagnosis, selection of treatment and post-treatment follow-up. This paper reviews clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, with emphasis on CSF characteristics and interpretation of the CSF results for therapeutic decision and post-treatment follow-up. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.