Parasitology: Gambian sleeping sickness: practice question

A Microbiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Microbiology · Parasitology: Gambian sleeping sickness

Sample item

A man from West Africa has intermittent fever, headache, pruritus and enlarged posterior cervical lymph nodes. Months later he develops sleep-wake reversal and tremors. Which organism is responsible?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense

West African trypanosomiasis is caused by T. brucei gambiense and runs a chronic course, with posterior cervical lymphadenopathy (Winterbottom sign) followed by meningoencephalitis and sleep disturbance. The East African form is acute and rapidly progressive.

Option by option

  • A. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (correct)

    Correct. The chronic West African course with a late sleep disorder fits T. b. gambiense.

  • B. Leishmania donovani

    Leishmania donovani causes visceral leishmaniasis with splenomegaly and not a sleep disorder.

  • C. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense

    T. b. rhodesiense occurs in East Africa and causes a fulminant illness with early cardiac and CNS involvement within weeks.

  • D. Trypanosoma cruzi

    T. cruzi causes American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and is not found in West Africa.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Microbiology questions

Questions about this Microbiology question

What is the answer to this Microbiology question?

The best answer is A, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. West African trypanosomiasis is caused by T.

Why is "Leishmania donovani" not the answer?

Leishmania donovani causes visceral leishmaniasis with splenomegaly and not a sleep disorder.

Why is "Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense" not the answer?

T. b. rhodesiense occurs in East Africa and causes a fulminant illness with early cardiac and CNS involvement within weeks.

Why is "Trypanosoma cruzi" not the answer?

T. cruzi causes American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) and is not found in West Africa.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Parasitology: Gambian sleeping sickness in Microbiology. brucei gambiense and runs a chronic course, with posterior cervical lymphadenopathy (Winterbottom sign) followed by meningoencephalitis and sleep disturbance. The East African form is acute and rapidly progressive.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Parasitology: Gambian sleeping sickness?

Make a one-line identity card for each organism: shape and stain, defining test, toxin, disease and drug. Then use the flashcards and the other Microbiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.