TRENDS ON TRYPANOSOMA (HERPETOSOMA) RANGELI RESEARCH

Abstract

Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite presenting an overlapping distribution with T. cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in a wide geographical area in Latin America. Despite considered as non-pathogenic for man, T. rangeli shares several characteristics with T. cruzi such as vertebrate and invertebrate reservoirs, vectors and approximately half of the soluble antigenic determinants. Despite the importance of specific detection, little is know about T. rangeli in comparison to T. cruzi; several questions lack proper answers, including the controversies concerning T. rangeli´s taxonomic position. In this context, this short review attempted to congregate current aspects on the research of this parasite, approaching several subjects as life cycle, vector suscepbility, specific genes studies and genomic data.