Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Your Online Source for Credible Health Information
EXIT
Chagas Disease: What U.S. Clinicians Need to Know
undefinedPage: 2 of undefined

The Infectious Agent

Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease.

The forms of the parasite are:

  • Epimastigotes (replicating form) in the vector’s midgut
  • Metacyclic trypomastigotes (infective form) found in the vector’s hindgut and feces
  • Circulating trypomastigotes in infected host blood
  • Amastigotes (intracellular form) in infected cells of mammalian host tissues
  • A key morphologic feature of all forms of the parasite is the kinetoplast, a dense intracellular body
An image of a microscopic view of thin section of heart muscle containing nest of T. cruzi amastigotes.

Thin section of heart muscle containing nest of T. cruzi amastigotes. CDC Photo

A microscopic image of a Trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi in a thin blood smear. The kinetoplast is the dense body visible at the superior end.

Trypomastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi in a thin blood smear. The kinetoplast is the dense body visible at the superior end. CDC photo

Version: 1.1 Pub: Oct 2010 Rev: Aug 2012

Questions? chagas@cdc.gov - 404-718-4745

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348, 8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov

USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services