FAO publishes continental atlas of tsetse flies in Africa

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has released the continental atlas of the distribution of tsetse flies in Africa, a vital tool in combatting an often-lethal parasitic disease among livestock that causes billions of dollars in economic losses for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a press release from the global organisation. Tsetse flies (genus Glossina) are blood-sucking insects that act as incubators and carriers for trypanosomes, single-celled parasites responsible for causing debilitating and often fatal diseases. In humans, this disease is also known as "sleeping sickness," resulting in an illness that affects the nervous system and manifests symptoms such as fatigue, severe headaches, and coma. If not diagnosed and appropriately treated, the disease almost invariably leads to death. While sleeping sickness is no longer considered a public health problem, with fewer than 2,000 cases reported each year in humans, the disease still ...