imrs (3) Published December 22, 2016 at 1484 × 1113 in Medical detectives raced to save a man from a rare, ‘universally lethal’ disease ← Previous Next → This slide shows the parasite, in dark blue, in Burger’s blood. The parasite causes African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, which is fatal within months if not treated. (Courtesy of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center)