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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Trop. Dis.
Sec. Disease Prevention and Control Policy
Volume 5 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fitd.2024.1503421
This article is part of the Research Topic Harnessing Multi-omics Data and Techniques to Provide Insights into Tropical Diseases View all articles

Advancing Diagnosis and Treatment for Human African Trypanosomiasis in Nigeria: Challenges and Future Directions

Provisionally accepted
Kelly Ann Zongo Kelly Ann Zongo 1*Rolayo Toyin Emmanuel Rolayo Toyin Emmanuel 2*
  • 1 The END Fund, New York, United States
  • 2 Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign-Nigeria, Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research, Kaduna, Nigeria

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly known as sleeping sickness, remains a significant health threat in sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, the challenges of diagnosing and treating HAT are profound, especially in resource-constrained, remote areas. This article offers a perspective on the barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment of HAT in Nigeria, drawing from recent developments in diagnostic techniques and case management approaches. The focus is on improving the current diagnostic framework, decentralizing the validation process, and streamlining drug distribution to effectively halt the transmission of HAT. We discuss the potential of simple and rapid molecular diagnostics, particularly the lyophilized LAMP test, as a game-changer in resource-limited settings and the need for a national repository of drugs to ensure timely therapeutic interventions. This article also explores future directions for the elimination of HAT in Nigeria, highlighting the importance of policy reforms and increased investment in diagnostic infrastructure.

    Keywords: Sleeping sickness, African trypanosomiasis, tsetse fly, Nigeria, diagnosis, policy, Case confirmation

    Received: 28 Sep 2024; Accepted: 11 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zongo and Emmanuel. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Kelly Ann Zongo, The END Fund, New York, United States
    Rolayo Toyin Emmanuel, Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign-Nigeria, Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research, Kaduna, Nigeria

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.