Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosomiasis) Eliminated in Cote d'Ivoire

The World Health Organization has certified that Cote d'Ivoire has successfully eliminated human African trypanosomiasis, also known as “sleeping sickness” as a public health problem. In the recent past, Cote d'Ivoire reported hundreds of cases per year in the 1990s.

Visit our Health Library for more information on exposure to and the prevention of Sleeping Sickness (Type 1).

African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease of humans and other animals that is transmitted from animals to humans by means of bites by the tsetse fly. There are two types of trypanosomiasis parasites that infect humans, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which causes 98% of reported cases and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. Both are most common in rural areas. There is some risk of exposure and infection for travellers undertaking safaris in game parks, especially if they do not use established guides and tour operators. Travellers can minimize the risk by avoiding bites by the tsetse fly.