The mechanism of the cytotoxic reaction of leukocytes to Trypanosoma dionisii was investigated. Cytotoxicity was measured by release of [99mTc]pertechnetate from labeled protozoa. Both granulocytes and lymphocytes were found to be cytotoxic to antibody-coated T. dionisii. The reaction was inhibited by diethyldithiocarbamate and by potassium cyanide, both of which inhibit myeloperoxidase. Myeloperoxidase from azurophil granules was toxic to T. dionisii, provided that hydrogen peroxide was also present. Hydrogen peroxide formation was induced in granulocytes and, to a lesser extent, in lymphocytes by antibody-coated T. dionisii. Inhibition of this hydrogen peroxide formation by treatment of the effector cell surface with p-diazobenzenesulfonic acid inhibited cytotoxicity. It is therefore concluded that granulocytes, and probably also lymphocytes, kill T. dionisii with hydrogen peroxide by a peroxidase-mediated reaction. Although hydrogen peroxide and myeloperoxidase alone were also cytotoxic to the lymphoblastoid cell line CLA4, it seems unlikely that this is the cytotoxic mechanism for this process because these cells were unable to induce hydrogen peroxide formation.