sleeping sickness

[ slee-ping sik-nis ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. Also called African sleeping sickness,. a generally fatal disease, common in parts of Africa, characterized by fever, wasting, and progressive lethargy: caused by a parasitic protozoan, Trypanosoma gambiense or T. rhodesiense, that is carried by a tsetse fly, Glossina palpalis.
2. Also called epidemic encephalitis,. a viral disease affecting the brain, characterized by apathy, sleepiness, extreme muscular weakness, and impairment of vision.

sleeping sickness

noun

1. Also calledAfrican sleeping sickness an African disease caused by infection with protozoans of the genus Trypanosoma, characterized by fever, wasting, and sluggishness
2. Also called (esp formerly)sleepy sickness an epidemic viral form of encephalitis characterized by extreme drowsiness Technical nameencephalitis lethargica

sleeping sickness

/ slē′pĭng /

1. An often fatal protozoan infection prevalent in tropical Africa, caused by either of two trypanosomes spread by the bite of the tsetse fly and characterized by fever and extreme lethargy.
2. Encephalitis that is caused by any of various viruses and is characterized by lethargy and extreme muscular weakness.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleeping sickness¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

It's also known as "triple E" or sleeping sickness and gets part of its name from the fact that it infects horses as well as humans.

From Salon

In 2017, Naviaux and his team completed early clinical testing for suramin, the only drug approved in humans that can target ATP signaling and which is normally used to treat African sleeping sickness.

From Science Daily

The condition was colloquially known as "sleeping sickness," as those infected developed extreme fatigue, neurocognitive impairments, psychiatric illness, and movement disorders.

From Salon

As it was, the poor animals had to be given injections to treat animal sleeping sickness every few weeks.

From Literature

With Death’s capture, millions are suddenly affected by a strange sleeping sickness: either unable to sleep or basically in a coma.

From The Verge