Crithidia luciliae

Species of parasitic flagellate protist in the Kinetoplastea class

Crithidia luciliae is a flagellate parasite that uses the housefly, Musca domestica, as a host. As part of the family of Trypanosomatidae, it is characterised by the presence of a kinetoplast, a complex network of interlocking circular double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) molecules. The presence of the kinetoplast makes this organism important in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythamatosus (SLE). By using C. luciliae as a substrate for immunofluorescence, the organelle can be used to detect anti-dsDNA antibodies, a common feature of the disease.

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