An accidental laboratory infection with African trypanosomes of a defined stock I. The clinical course of the infection

Robertson, David; Pickens, S.; Lawson, JamesH.; Lenno, B.

doi:10.1016/s0163-4453(80)91084-1

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…An important breakthrough in our understanding of human sleeping sickness would be to discover the genetic basis of human infectivity. Strain TREU 164, originally isolated from tsetse files in Lugala, Uganda, in 1969, has been shown to be human infective by accidental infection of a laboratory worker (57,108). By using human serum-resistant and -sensitive trypanosome clones derived from this isolate (ETaT clones) (133), a gene was identified which is expressed (at the RNA level) only in serum-resistant clones (26).…”

Section: Biochemical and Molecular Basis Of Human Infectivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

History of Sleeping Sickness in East Africa

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1999

Clin Microbiol Rev

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SUMMARY The history of human sleeping sickness in East Africa is characterized by the appearance of disease epidemics interspersed by long periods of endemicity. Despite the presence of the tsetse fly in large areas of East Africa, these epidemics tend to occur multiply in specific regions or foci rather than spreading over vast areas. Many theories have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, but recent molecular approaches and detailed analyses of epidemics have highlighted the stability of human-infective trypanosome strains within these foci. The new molecular data, taken alongside the history and biology of human sleeping sickness, are beginning to highlight the important factors involved in the generation of epidemics. Specific, human-infective trypanosome strains may be associated with each focus, which, in the presence of the right conditions, can be responsible for the generation of an epidemic. Changes in agricultural practice, favoring the presence of tsetse flies, and the important contribution of domestic animals as a reservoir for the parasite are key factors in the maintenance of such epidemics. This review examines the contribution of molecular and genetic data to our understanding of the epidemiology and history of human sleeping sickness in East Africa.

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Section: Biochemical and Molecular Basis Of Human Infectivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

History of Sleeping Sickness in East Africa

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1999

Clin Microbiol Rev

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“…Another [145][146]1994). All of the accidents occurred in 1993 and 1994, and one involved the principal investigator.…”

Section: General Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(a) Summary data. Six laboratory-acquired cases have been reported (76,142,146 (Table 18). The earliest reported case occurred in the 1970s.…”

Section: General Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…brucei rhodesiense was a medical student doing a summer research project that involved infecting mice and rats with stabilates of various serotypes (i.e., variable antigen types); separating trypanosomes from animal blood by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, which resulted in a concentrated suspension of organisms (about 10 8 /ml); and inoculating the parasites into chickens (76,146). His role in the direct work with live animals was supportive (e.g., he restrained chickens that were being inoculated).…”

Section: General Commentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laboratory-Acquired Parasitic Infections from Accidental Exposures

2001

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SUMMARY Parasitic diseases are receiving increasing attention in developed countries in part because of their importance in travelers, immigrants, and immunocompromised persons. The main purpose of this review is to educate laboratorians, the primary readership, and health care workers, the secondary readership, about the potential hazards of handling specimens that contain viable parasites and about the diseases that can result. This is accomplished partly through discussion of the occupationally acquired cases of parasitic infections that have been reported, focusing for each case on the type of accident that resulted in infection, the length of the incubation period, the clinical manifestations that developed, and the means by which infection was detected. The article focuses on the cases of infection with the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis), and African trypanosomiasis. Data about 164 such cases are discussed, as are data about cases caused by intestinal protozoa and by helminths. Of the 105 case-patients infected with blood and tissue protozoa who either recalled an accident or for whom the likely route of transmission could be presumed, 47 (44.8%) had percutaneous exposure via a contaminated needle or other sharp object. Some accidents were directly linked to poor laboratory practices (e.g., recapping a needle or working barehanded). To decrease the likelihood of accidental exposures, persons who could be exposed to pathogenic parasites must be thoroughly instructed in safety precautions before they begin to work and through ongoing training programs. Protocols should be provided for handling specimens that could contain viable organisms, using protective clothing and equipment, dealing with spills of infectious organisms, and responding to accidents. Special care should be exercised when using needles and other sharp objects.

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“…Six accidental, laboratory-acquired cases of T. b. rhodesiense have been reported. 3,4,5 Rather than identifying an animal model of a dangerous human pathogen, a safer option would be to identify a non-human pathogen that mimics HAT. Unlike T. b. rhodesiense, T. b. brucei is unable to infect humans, but mimics the pathogenesis of human-infective T. b. rhodesiense in infected animals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a safer laboratory vervet monkey model for the study of human African trypanosomiasis

et al. 2014

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BackgroundThere are three subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei: T. b. gambiense, T. b. rhodesiense and T. b. brucei. The first two are infectious to humans, whilst T. b. brucei is not. Identifying an animal model of T. b. brucei that mimics human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) would enable researchers to study HAT without subjecting themselves to undue risks such as accidental infection.ObjectivesThis study assessed the sequential clinical, parasitological and haematological changes in vervet monkeys infected with T. b. brucei.MethodsThree vervet monkeys were infected with a 104 inoculum of T. b. brucei (isolate GUTat 1). Late-stage disease was induced by subcurative treatment with diminazene aceturate 28 days post-infection. The animals were treated curatively with melarsoprol upon relapse. Parasitaemia and clinical signs were monitored daily and, at weekly intervals, the monkeys’ blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were sampled for haematology and parasitosis assessments, respectively.ResultsThe first-peak parasitaemia was observed between seven and nine days post-infection. Clinical signs associated with the disease included fever, dullness, pallor of mucous membranes, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and oedema. Late-stage signs included stiffness of joints and lethargy. The monkeys developed a disease associated with microcytic hypochromic anaemia. There was an initial decline, followed by an increase, in total white blood cell counts from early- to late-stage disease. Trypanosomes were detected in the CSF and there was a significant increase in white cell counts in the CSF during late-stage disease. Infected vervet monkeys displayed classical clinical symptoms, parasitological and haematological trends that were similar to monkeys infected with T.b. rhodesiense.ConclusionThe T. b. brucei vervet monkey model can be used for studying HAT without putting laboratory technicians and researchers at high risk of accidental infection.

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An accidental laboratory infection with African trypanosomes of a defined stock I. The clinical course of the infection

Cited by 14 publications

References 11 publications

History of Sleeping Sickness in East Africa

History of Sleeping Sickness in East Africa

Laboratory-Acquired Parasitic Infections from Accidental Exposures

Development of a safer laboratory vervet monkey model for the study of human African trypanosomiasis

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