Question

Without treatment, why does African sleeping sickness invariably lead to death?

a) Due to excessive sleeping and inactivity.
b) Because of severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
c) As a result of brain and nervous system damage.
d) Due to respiratory failure and heart complications.

Answer 1

Without treatment, African sleeping sickness invariably leads to death due to brain and nervous system damage caused by Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite responsible for the disease.

Step-by-step explanation:

Without treatment, African sleeping sickness invariably leads to death due to brain and nervous system damage. Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness, changes its surface glycoproteins with each infectious cycle, evading the immune system. The immune response against the parasite is unable to clear it, allowing it to continuously replicate and spread throughout the body, affecting the central nervous system. This damage to the brain and nervous system ultimately leads to death.