Highlights of the XXI annual meeting of the Brazilian Society of Protozoology, the XXXII annual meeting on Basic Research in Chagas' disease & an international symposium on vesicle trafficking in parasitic Protozoa – 7 to 9 November 2005, Caxambu, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This report focuses on the 2005 Annual meeting held in Caxambu, Minas Gerais, Brazil that was convened and organized by the Brazilian Society of Protozoology http://www.sbpz.org.br/. This is an annual event and details of these meetings can be found on the Society's website. Within the space available it has been impossible to cover all the important and fascinating contributions and what is presented are our personal views of the meetings scientific highlights and new developments. The contents undoubtedly reflect each author's scientific interests and expertise. Fuller details of the round tables, seminars and posters can be consulted on line at http://www.sbpz.org.br/livroderesumos2005.php.

The authors would like to publicly thank the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq), the São Paulo State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPESP), the Minas Gerais State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPEMIG) and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute Foundation (FIOCRUZ), the Rio de Janeiro State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPERJ), the Foundation for Training in Higher Education (CAPES) who for many years have collectively supported the Caxambu meetings.

The authors would like to publicly thank the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq), the São Paulo State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPESP), the Minas Gerais State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPEMIG) and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute Foundation (FIOCRUZ), the Rio de Janeiro State Foundation for the Support of Research (FAPERJ), the Foundation for Training in Higher Education (CAPES) who for many years have collectively supported the Caxambu meetings.