THE ORIGINS, DYNAMICS AND GENERATION OF TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI-RHODESIENSE EPIDEMICS IN EAST-AFRICA

The history of sleeping sickness in East Africa has provoked controver sy not only about the origins and spread of the disease, but also the identity of the causative organisms involved. Molecular methodology(1) has shed new light on the genetic makeup of the organisms involved in recent epidemics. Here, Geoff Hide, Andrew Tait, Ian Maudlin and Susa n Welburn discuss these new data in relation to previous theories abou t the origins of epidemics in East Africa which emphasized the importa nce of the introduction of new strains.