A research team led by a Korean-American scientist has solved the mystery of African sleeping sickness.

Professor Lee So-hee of Johns Hopkins University of the United States said a previously unknown biochemical mechanism used by parasites creates fatty acids and thus causes the disease.

The scientific journal Cell has published Lee's paper in its latest issue.

The disease is caused by the trypanosome transmitted when tsetse flies suck human or animal blood.

Lee said she and her colleagues discovered that the trypanosome uses a completely unknown mechanism in creating fatty acids, and that no other organism deliberately uses elongases in creating fatty acids.