Abstract

DE LA PARTE-PEREZ, María Antonia; BRUZUAL, Elizabeth; HURTADO, Pilar  and  ARCAY, Lucila. Diseminación tisular de Cryptosporidium SPP en hospedadores murinos experimentalmente inmunosuprimidos. AVFT [online]. 2008, vol.27, n.1, pp.82-85. ISSN 0798-0264.

Cryptosporidium spp. is a protozoan parasite icluded in the Phylum Apicomplexa, that has been well studied in humans and animals for being the agent that causes cryptosporidiosis. In this experiment we studied the parasite dissemination to organs and systems in two groups of murine hosts: one constituted by infected mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CPA) to produce immunosuppression and the group control, which included infected animals not treated with CPA. The analysis of tissue specimens pertaining to the group of infected and treated animals, showed wide dissemination of the parasite in intestine, trachea, lung, spleen, lymph nodes, thyroid gland and liver, while tissue specimens from controls showed scarce dissemination to the intestine. Observations in organs and systems of the immunosuppressed mice suggest similar parasite behaviour in the immunodeficient human being, therefore the importance for the application of the preventive measures for the infection by this Coccidia in cases of immunodeficient individuals.

Keywords : Cryptosporidium spp; dissemination; immunosuppression; cyclophosphamide; CPA.