What is the Difference Between Trypanosoma Cruzi and Brucei

Thekey difference between Trypanosoma cruzi and bruceiis thatTrypanosoma cruziis the causative agent of South American trypanosomiasis or Chagas’ disease, whileTrypanosoma bruceiis the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness.

Trypanosoma cruziandTrypanosoma bruceiare two types ofparasiticprotozoathat cause trypanosomiasis in humans. Trypanosomiasis is a disease found in vertebrates due to parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genusTrypanosoma. In humans, there are two types of trypanosomiasis as Chagas’ disease (South American trypanosomiasis) and African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis). In the case of Chagas’ disease, a bug called “triatomine” introduces the protozoan parasite into a human. On the other hand, a fly called “tsetse” introduces African trypanosomiasis, causing protozoan parasites in humans. Furthermore, a number of other diseases occur in other animals due to species in the genusTrypanosoma.

CONTENTS

1.Overview and Key Difference
2.What is Trypanosoma Cruzi
3.What is Trypanosoma Brucei
4.Similarities – Trypanosoma Cruzi and Brucei
5.Trypanosoma Cruzi vs Brucei in Tabular Form
6.Summary – Trypanosoma Cruzi vs Brucei

What is Trypanosoma Cruzi?

Trypanosoma cruziis a species in the genus ofTrypanosoma.It is responsible for the inflammatory, infectious disease in humans called Chagas’ disease. This parasitic species is usually found in the feces of triatomine bugs or kissing bugs. Chagas’ disease is more common in areas such as South America, Central America, and Mexico, which are the primary home for triatomine bugs. Rare cases of this disease can be observed in the Southern United States. Moreover, the infected triatomine bug defecates after feeding and leaves behind the parasite (Trypanosoma Cruzi) on the human skin. The parasite can then enter the human body through eyes, a cut, or scratch, or a wound from a bug’s bite.

这种疾病的急性期症状包括年代welling in the infection site, fever, fatigue, rash, headache, swollen glands, nausea, diarrhea, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. The chronic phase symptoms may include irregular heartbeat, heart failure, suddencardiac arrest, difficulty in swallowing due to enlarged esophagus, and stomach pain due to enlarged colon. The Chagas’ disease caused byTrypanosoma cruzican be diagnosed through an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, and upper endoscopy. The acute phase treatment includes killing the protozoan through drugs such as benznidazole and nifurtimox. The chronic treatments include pacemakers or devices to control the heart rhythm, surgery for heart, heart transplant and diet changes, medications, corticosteroids, or surgery for digestive tract-related issues.

What isTrypanosoma Brucei?

Trypanosoma bruceiis the causative agent of African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis). This parasitic species also belongs to the genusTrypanosoma. It is transmitted by the tsetse fly (Glossinaspecies) that is found in sub-Saharan Africa. There are two morphologically indistinguishable subspecies that cause African sleeping sickness. One subspecies isTrypanosoma brucei gambience,which causes slowly progressing African trypanosomiasis in Western and Central Africa. The other one isTrypanosoma brucei rhodesiense,which causes more acute African trypanosomiasis in Eastern and Southern Africa. During blood meals on the mammalian host, the infected tsetse fly injects this parasitic protozoan into the human skin through saliva. The parasite enters the lymphatic system and passes into the bloodstream, which causes characteristics symptoms. At the sites of fly bite, one can observe “chancre” an indurated red nodule accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes. The other common symptoms may include severe headache, personality changes, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, extreme fatigue, irritability, loss of concentration, progressive confusion, slurred speech, seizures, difficulty in walking and talking, sleeping for a long period of the day, and insomnia at night.

African sleeping sickness that is caused byTrypanosoma bruceican be diagnosed through light microscope detection of the parasite, concentration techniques, and serial examinations for blood, serological testing, and CSF testing. Treatment includes the killing of parasites through drugs such as pentamidine, suramin, melarsoprol, eflornithine, and nifurtimox.

What are the Similarities BetweenTrypanosoma CruziandBrucei?

• Trypanosoma cruziandbruceiare two types of parasitic protozoa that cause trypanosomiasis.
• Both species cause infections in humans.
• They enter the human body through the skin.
• They belong to the genusTrypanosoma.
• The symptoms that are caused by both species can be controlled by antiparasitic drugs.

What is the Difference Between Trypanosoma Cruzi and Brucei?

Trypanosoma cruziis the causative agent of South American trypanosomiasis or Chagas’ disease, whileTrypanosoma bruceiis the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. Thus, this is the key difference between Trypanosoma cruzi and brucei. Furthermore, the vector forTrypanosoma cruziis triatomine bug, while the vector forTrypanosoma bruceiis tsetse fly.

The below infographic presents the differences between Trypanosoma cruzi and brucei in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Trypanosoma Cruzi vs Brucei

Trypanosomiasis is a disease caused by parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genusTrypanosoma.Trypanosoma cruziandbruceiare two types of parasitic protozoa that cause trypanosomiasis in humans.Trypanosoma cruziis the causative agent of South American trypanosomiasis or Chagas’ disease, whileTrypanosoma bruceiis the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. So, this summarizes the difference betweenTrypanosoma cruziandbrucei.

Reference:

1. “Trypanosoma Cruzi”。概述| ScienceDirect主题。
2. “Trypanosoma Brucei”。概述| ScienceDirect主题。

Image Courtesy:

1. “Trypanosoma cruzi life cycle” By Kárita C. F. Lidani, Lorena Bavia, Altair R. Ambrosio and Iara J. de Messias-Reason –Frontiersin.org(CC BY 4.0)via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Trypanosoma brucei” By Johannahoog – Own work(CC BY-SA 3.0)via Commons Wikimedia