Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei is a species of protist, protozoa, parasite that is mainly found in the blood and it causes the African trypanosomiasis (or the sleeping disease) in humans and animals (nagana) in Africa. There are three subspecies of this parasite:

  • T. b. gambiense, which causes the slow starting chronic trypanosomiasis.
  • T. b. rhodesiense, which causes the fast starting acute tripanosomiasis.
  • T. b. brucei, which causes African animal trypanosomiasis, just like other species of trypanosoma.

The two-host parasite species, an insect vector (the tsetse fly) and a mammal host. Given the big difference between these two hosts, the cell goes through complex changes to favor its survival in the intestine of the insects and in the blood of the mammals.

 

 

Parasitic forms:

– Epimastigote. The basal body is located anterior to the nucleus, with a long flagellum attached along the cell body.

–Trypomastigote. The basal body is posterior to the nucleus, with a long flagellum attached along the cell body.

T.brucei osually exists in the trypomastigote form and in the epimastigote form it colonizes in the salivary glands of insects.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiensis
Objective 40X

Apoyo a acciones de Innovación Docente – Vicerrectorado de Estudios / Consultas e incidencias técnicas- Tlf: 96 522 2059 –