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Trypanosomiasis (Start Article): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosomiasis

Section I am Adding on May 2nd:

Diagnosis

One way in which trypanosomiasis can be diagnosed is through the detection of antibodies against trypanosomes made by host organisms. One commonly used antibody test which operated based off of this principle is the card agglutination test, C.A.T.T. for T. gambiense. In this test, reagent is mixed with blood and shaken. Within a matter of minutes, a researcher or public health professional can determine whether someone has made these antibodies and therefore is infected with trypanosomes. Regarding the accuracy of this test, it is reported to have an 87 to 98 percent sensitivity rating.

Another way to diagnose trypanosomiasis is to detect the trypanosome protozoans themselves. One way to do this would be to use lymph node aspirate. In this test, which has a sensitivity of between 40 and 80 percent, a healthcare worker will first find a cervical lymph node which is enlarged. Once the healthcare worker has punctured that lymph node, its aspirate is examined under a microscope for trypanosomes to confirm diagnosis.

Section I already added previously:

Epidemiology:

Trypanosomes and trypanosomiasis disease is transmitted through the tsetse fly. As many as 90 percent of sleeping sickness cases are caused by the Glossina fuscipes subspecies of the fly. The palpalis subspecies contributes the majority of the rest of the cases. The different subspecies of fly dominate different habitats. For instance, the Glossina Morsitans subspecies inhabits savannahs while the Glossina Palpalis subspecies prefers woody riverine habitats. However, all flies are susceptible to extremes in temperature (outside of the 16-40 degree Celsius range). Furthermore, trypanosomes are only able to reproduce in tsetse flies between the 25 to 30 Celsius range. These factors mean that only a minority of tsetse flies, around 20 percent, are estimated to carry trypanosomes. These flies can also adapt to human activity, thus causing changes in disease patterns. For example, when brush is cleared for agriculture, the flies can retreat into the savannah and conversely when humans move into brush, the flies will reproduce and feed more frequently. As a result, large increases of population associated with expansion into woody habitats often coincides with trypanosomiasis epidemics.

Humans, their livestock, or wild animals can all act as reservoirs of trypanosomiasis disease. However, the reservoirs used differ based on subspecies of trypanosoma protozoans and thus the variants of trypanosomiasis disease. There are two main variants of trypanosomoiasis which are in turn transmitted by different subspecies of the trypanosome protozoans. Trypanosoma brucei rhodiense tends to result in more acute forms of disease and is mainly transmitted form one human to another. Most patients with this variant of disease will die within six months of infection. Cattle can also act as a reservoir in areas where disease incidence is lower. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is the second type of protozoan which usually results in more chronic disease patterns . Its main reservoir is the cattle populations. Although it is also fatal, death can take months or years to occur . Geographical separation of these two variants of trypanosomes occurs along the Rift Valley. Trypanosoma brucei rhodiense is usually found on the eastern side of the valley while the gambiense variant resides on the western side. The ranges of the two disease variants could overlap in Uganda, Tanzania, and Congo in the future.

The data I used came from Franco, J. R., Simarro, P. P., Diarra, A., & Jannin, J. G. (2014). Epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis. Clinical epidemiology, 257-275.