What is the causative agent of Chagas disease and what type of organism is it?

What is the causative agent of Chagas disease and what type of organism is it?

• A. Plasmodium vivax; protozoa
• B. Trypanosoma cruzi; protozoa
• C. Trypanosoma cruzi; bacteria
• D. Trypanosoma rangeli; protozoa

Answer: (B)

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite. This flagellated organism belongs to the trypanosome group of protozoa and is transmitted to humans by triatomine bugs (kissing bugs). The other options are not correct for this disease: Plasmodium vivax is the malaria parasite, also a protozoan, but it causes malaria and is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, not the triatomine bug; the idea that the agent is a bacterium is wrong because Trypanosoma cruzi is a eukaryotic protozoan; Trypanosoma rangeli is a related parasite that can infect vectors but is not the primary cause of human Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite. This flagellated organism belongs to the trypanosome group of protozoa and is transmitted to humans by triatomine bugs (kissing bugs). The other options are not correct for this disease: Plasmodium vivax is the malaria parasite, also a protozoan, but it causes malaria and is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, not the triatomine bug; the idea that the agent is a bacterium is wrong because Trypanosoma cruzi is a eukaryotic protozoan; Trypanosoma rangeli is a related parasite that can infect vectors but is not the primary cause of human Chagas disease.