Trypanosoma cruzi
Trypanosoma cruzi
Taxonomy
- Phylum Euglenozoa
- Class kinetoplasta
- Order Trypanosomatida; Family Trypanosomatidae
- Genus Trypanosoma
Final host
Human and other primates, dog, cat (vertebrate host)
Morphology
Trypomastigotes (≈ 16-20 µm long) have a pointed posterior end and a curved stumpy body and a narrow undulating membrane with a trailing flagellum Amastigotes (≈ 1.5-4 µm) occur in groups
Cycle
Indirect (vectorial stercorarian transmission) Vectors: kissing bugs (Hemipteran Reduviidae)
Location
Intracellular amastigotes (reticuloendothelial system, muscles and the heart) and trypomastigotes in blood
Feeding
Saprozoic
Diagnostic
Blood trypomastigote, Intracellular amastigotes (reticuloendothelial and muscle cells, biopsy)
system, muscles and the heart) and trypomastigotes in blood
Transmission
Metacyclic tryptomastigote
