Fluorescent trypanosomes reveal invasion of skin and beyond following tsetse fly bites

Trypanosome parasites cause sleeping sickness in Africa. If left untreated, the infection causes coma and eventually death. A study takes a close look at what happens after an infected tsetse fly transmits parasites into the skin of a mouse host and shows that very few parasites are needed to successfully colonize the host. In addition, multiplication of parasites at the bite site creates a reservoir from which parasites can be picked up by subsequent tsetse fly bites.