Chagas' Disease Life Cycle

From the Wellcome Trust, these animations illustrate the life cycle of the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas' Disease.

The parasites use a blood-sucking insect called a triatomine as an incubator and vector. The protozoan parasite mautures and reproduces in the insect before being deposited on humans in the insect’s faeces. When Trypanosoma cruzi parasites enter the human body, through a wound or directly via an eye, they can cause chronic damage to the digestive system and heart. If left untreated, this damage can become fatal.

Two separate animations illustrate the changes that occur in the human and insect stages of the life cycle.

The animations contain a lot of detail and can be used with students aged 16+ to illustrate transmission of the disease and the parasite's life cycle. They may be used with younger students as an extension to their learning.

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