Culturing and Biological Cloning of Trypanosoma cruzi

Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan flagellate that is transmitted to mammals by bloodsucking triatomine bugs. Transmission is not by the bite of the insect but by contamination of skin abrasions or mucous membranes with bug feces containing infective (metacyclic) trypomastigote forms. Transmission to mammals may also occur by transfusion with blood from an infected donor, by congenital infection across the placenta, by organ transplantation, and by consumption of food contaminated with infective material from triatomine bugs or animal reservoirs. T. cruzi is restricted to the Americas, although closely related organisms of the same subgenus (Schizotrypanum ) occur worldwide in bats and are sometimes used as “safe” models for T. cruzi .