The sylvatic cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi: a still unsolved puzzle

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Abstract
Despite its clonal structure (Miles & Cibulskis 1986, Tibayrenc & Ayala 1986) Trypanosoma cruzi presents an extreme variability and the seminal studies described the pleomorphism of this tripanosomatid. The slender blood forms have been taken for immature forms or male gametes and the large blood forms, as mature forms or female gametes (Chagas 1909, Brumpt 1912). Since then, all attempts made to correlate biological, biochemi- cal and morphological parameters of the parasite with the course of the experimental infection or with the different aspects of Chagas disease, has