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🦠microbiology review

Kinetoplastids

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Kinetoplastids are a group of unicellular, flagellated eukaryotic organisms characterized by the presence of a kinetoplast, a unique structure containing condensed mitochondrial DNA. They are notable for including many parasitic species that cause significant human diseases.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Kinetoplastids possess a single large mitochondrion that contains the kinetoplast, which is rich in DNA.
  2. They include medically important parasites such as Trypanosoma and Leishmania.
  3. Trypanosoma brucei causes African sleeping sickness, while Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease.
  4. Leishmania species are responsible for leishmaniasis, which can manifest in cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral forms.
  5. They typically have a complex lifecycle often involving multiple hosts or vector organisms like tsetse flies or sandflies.

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