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Trypanosoma cruzi

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