In this study we show that co-immunization of mice with the epitope capsid-incorporation strategy of invasive extracellular trypomastigotes and intracellular replicative amastigotes is effective at stimulating T. cruzi-specific effector CD8+ T-cell responses as well as neutralizing antibodies that protect mice against T. cruzi infection by significantly reducing parasitemia and extending survival rates. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is parasitic infectious disease.