Comparative morphometry of Trypanosoma cruzi forms in the intestine of Rhodnius prolixus and in the NNN medium

Abstract

Several significant morphological differences were found between the evolutive forms of Trypanosoma cruzi grown in distinct media (culture in NNN or insect’s intestine) using a semi-automatic image analysis system. The metacyclic forms cultured in NNN presented greater nucleus and kinetoplast sizes than those from vectors’ intestine. The culture forms presented a more anterior position of the nucleus.This is the first comparative morphometrical study of sixteen parameters of T. cruzi forms from NNN medium compared to those from insect’s intestine. However, further discriminant studies should be carried out to have a good method to distinguish between distinct forms of T. cruzi life cycle.