Pathological aspects of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in Uganda. A post-mortem survey of fourteen cases.

The pathological features of 14 cases of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) occurring in Uganda over an 8 year period are described. Three cases were clinically proven and in all 14 cases a chronic meningoencephalitis was found. In 2 cases there was histological evidence of ganglion radiculitis and in one of these chronic choroiditis and peripheral neuritis associated with chronic myositis were present. The cardiac lesions consisted of a chronic pancarditis of varying degree in 8 cases and in 3 a generalized valvulitis was observed. In 2 cases, specially investigated, generalized lesions of the conducting system were noticed. Previous histopathological descriptions of HAT are briefly reviewed. The present findings are compared with some of those recorded in human american trypanosomiasis and experimental African trypanosomiasis.