Identification of Trypanosoma brucei vs Trypanosoma cruzi The best, easiest way to distinguish Trypanosoma species: size of the subterminal kinetoplast Trypanosoma brucei: - subsp. gamiense or subsp. rhodesiense - African Trypanosomiasis:African sleeping sickness - tse tse fly vector - Identification: small kinetoplast, divide as trypomastigotes in blood, larger than T cruzi (-2x RBC) Trypanosoma cruzi: - South American Trypanosomiasis: Chagas disease - Triatomine (reduviid, 'kissing bug") vector - Identification: large kinetoplast, divide as amastigotes in tissue (never in blood), smaller than T. brucei (Size of RBC) Rich Davis, PhD, D(ABMM), MLS @richdavisphd #Trypanosoma #brucei #cruzi #Identification #comparison #diagnosis #microbiology #blood #smear #microscopy
