Definition of: sleeping sickness

Pathol.
1. The terminal stage of a form of trypanosomiasis prevalent in tropical Africa: it is caused by the presence in the cerebrospinal fluid of certain trypanosomes usually transmitted by the bite of the tsetse fly, and is marked by progressive lethargy, recurrent fever and headaches, terminating in somnolence and death.
2. Epidemic encephalitis lethargica.