Parasitology

• Disease: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Sleeping sickness
• Habitat in human: Blood (but not inside red blood cells)
• Diagnosis of infection: Microscopic examination of blood to detect trypomastigotes

Morphological Features of Trypomastigote

• Size: 14 – 33 mm in length
• Long and spindle shaped; some short and stumpy
• Nucleus is centrally located
• Undulating membrane along the body
• A single flagellum – runs along undulating membrane and extend freely from anterior end
• Kinetoplast is small and located at the posterior end