Is there a difference between african sleeping sickness and chagas disease?

Yes: They are different diseases caused by different but related parasites. Chagas is caused by trypanosoma cruzi, while sleeping sickness is caused by trypanosoma brucei. They affect different parts of the body and cause different symptoms.

Sleeping sickness: Human african trypanosomiasis: two forms, depending on the parasite :trypanosoma brucei gambiense (t.B.G.) is in west and central africa accounts for over 95% of reported cases and causes a chronic infection.Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (t.B.R.) is found in eastern and southern africa and is 5% of reported cases and is acute. Chaga's dis. In latin american countries is known as american tryp.

Sleeping sickness: Yes they are caused by different but related organisms and african sickness only occurs in africa and chaga's only in latin america and has spread by immigrants to us.

Different organisms: African Sleeping Sickness is caused by Trypanosoma Brucei spread by the Tsetse fly bite in Africa. Chagas disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of Kissing bugs which suck blood & pass on a Protozoan called Trypanosoma Cruzi. Chagas Disease can be found in South & Central Americas. They have different symptoms.