CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY IN EXPERIMENTAL TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI INFECTION

Infection of humans with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi lends to Chag as disease, or American tyypanosomiasis, a disease that affects nearly 20 million people, and constitutes one of the largest socioeconomic b urdens in Latin America. Much of the present knowledge on pathogenic m echanisms underlying T. cruzi infection comes from experimental murine models. Here, George A. DosReis reviews recent findings about the fea tures of host cell-mediated immunity against the parasite and possible mechanisms leading to chronic infection.