Thermo-related degeneration of stumpy forms of Trypanosoma brucei, the pathogen of African sleeping sickness.

ABSTRACT: Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis, develops from the long slender (LS) to the short stumpy (SS) form in the mammalian host. The SS trypanosomes are critical for transmission to the insect vector but face significant challenges within the vertebrate host. The role of the immune response in controlling the parasitaemia is well studied, however, the mechanism underpinning the rapid degeneration of SS trypanosomes during the first parasitaemic peak in mice remains somewhat elusive. We demonstrate that fever is a critical yet underexplored factor in facilitating the clearance of SS trypanosomes, suggesting that temperature may play a critical role in regulating the natural turnover of SS trypanosomes. The elevated body temperature correlates with the parasitaemi

SUBMITTER: Luo JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12457267 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature