Читать книгу (101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA - Patrick Brakspear - Страница 53

Sleeping sickness or African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease which affects people and domestic animals. The disease is transmitted by the tsetse fly which is endemic to many parts of Africa. Although a serious threat to local populations, the incidence amongst visitors is extremely low. Symptoms include severe headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue and malaise.

Tsetse flies are relatively resistant to standard insect repellents and can bite through light clothing. They are attracted to bright and also very dark colours and to clouds of dust such as that kicked up by a herd of buffalo – and moving vehicles! Their bite can cause severe discomfort (itching and swelling) and they are extremely difficult to kill (you can squash them between two fingers and they just get up and fly away!). My advice is, when travelling through a tsetse area (generally a woodland), to remain vigilant and use your hat to brush them out of the vehicle (and keep an eye out on the necks and exposed skin of others in your vehicle). In my experience, the more you try to kill them, the more replacements fill the void – spend the energy keeping them away from you and only kill those trapped inside (if you are in an enclosed safari vehicle).