To prevent sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis), attention must be paid to reducing risk factors.
Behavioral risk factors
- Affected mainly the rural population, aid workers.
General exposure prophylaxis
- Avoid endemic areas with particularly high pathogen prevalence (pathogen frequency)
- Avoid bites from mosquitoes by wearing clothing that covers the entire body and use of repellents, impregnated mosquito nets – tsetse flies usually bite during the day outdoors.
- Chemoprophylaxis is not recommended
- After an infection should quickly see a doctor
Prophylaxis
- Education of the population
- Improvement of living conditions
- Control of vectors in endemic areas (insecticides, tsetse traps, biological control).
- Treat infected pets
- Screening of blood donors (from endemic areas).
