East African sleeping sickness in Zambia and Zimbabwe
Key points
Sleeping sickness is spread by the bites of infected tsetse flies.
To prevent sleeping sickness, travelers to the outbreak area should:
Wear medium-weight, neutral-colored clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and pants. Tsetse flies are attracted to bright colors and may bite through lightweight clothing.
Inspect vehicles for tsetse flies before entering. Tsetse flies are yellow to dark brown in color, about the size of a housefly, and hold their wings over their back when at rest.
Avoid bushes where tsetse flies may be resting.
Pay attention to posted signs warning about tsetse flies or fly spraying in the area.
Avoid areas where black or blue tsetse fly traps are present.
Insect repellents have not proven effective in preventing tsetse fly bites.
East African sleeping sickness progresses quickly, and treatment is necessary to prevent severe illness and death within weeks to months.
Seek medical care immediately if you develop headache, fever, fatigue, skin rash, muscle aches, or a red sore, called a chancre during or after travel to safari regions of Zambia or Zimbabwe, and you think you may have been bitten by a tsetse fly. Diagnosis and treatment can be lifesaving.
Traveler Information
Health Information for Travelers to Zambia
Health Information for Travelers to Zimbabwe
CDC Sleeping Sickness (African Trypanosomiasis) Website
Clinician Information
African Trypanosomiasis in the CDC Yellow Book (Health Information for International Travel)
Clinical Care of Human African Trypanosomiasis | Sleeping Sickness (African Trypanosomiasis) | CDC
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