A 65-year-old female Peace Corps worker is sent back to the states from East Africa because she had had a very high fever and African sleeping sickness is suspected. What characteristic of the organism makes it a fatal infection unless treated properly?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and T. brucei rhodesiense both have the ability to continue to change their antigenic coats so much so that if hypergammaglobulinemia is not found in the CSF of a suspected case, it rules out African sleeping sickness.

A 65-Year-Old Female Peace Corps Worker Is Sent Back to the States