Trypanosoma
(tri-pan‵ŏ-sō-mă 
)
[Gr. trypanon, borer + Gr. sōma, a body]
A genus of parasitic, flagellate protozoa found in the blood of many vertebrates, including humans. The protozoa are transmitted by insect vectors. The only two species relevant for disease in humans are T. brucei and T. cruzi.
SEE: illus.
T. brucei A species with three subspecies: T. brucei brucei, T. brucei gambiense, and T. brucei rhodesiense. The subspecies T. brucei brucei causes a wasting disease in cattle called nagana but does not produce disease in humans. The subspecies T. brucei gambiense causes African sleeping sickness in western and central Africa. The subspecies T. brucei rhodesiense, transmitted by the tsetse fly, causes African sleeping sickness in eastern and southern Africa.
T. cruzi The causative agent of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). It is transmitted by triatomids (bloodsucking insects of the family Reduviidae).