Resumo

TEJERO, Félix et al. Morfometría ultraestructural de la glándula adrenal de ratones infectados experimentalmente con dos aislados venezolanos de Trypanosoma evansi Ultrastructural morphometry of the adrenal gland of mice experimentally infected with two Venezuelan isolates of Trypanosoma evansi . INHRR [online]. 2011, vol.42, n.2, pp.60-74. ISSN 0798-0477.

This work describes qualitatively and analyzes quantitatively the ultrastructural variations of the mice adrenal gland during the development of murine experimental infections by two Venezuelan isolates of Trypanosoma evansi, one de rived from a donkey and another from a horse. The submicroscopic modifications included modifications in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, lipid droplets, Golgi apparatus, and nucleus. Alterations in the number of epinephrine, norepinephrine vesicles, and lipofuscin granules and singular myelin-like figures were also observed. Such ultrastructural changes would be associated to metabolic problems including the infected animal’s death. The quantitative study demonstrated significant differences in the characteristics and magnitude of the damage caused by both isolates, being more pathogenic the horse derived trypanosome. The multivariate analysis of the submicroscopic changes discriminated the pathogenic action of trypanosomes of the same species coming from different habitats (Equus asinus and E. caballus) and different geographic zones (Apure state and Guarico state) in the adrenal gland.

Palavras-chave : Trypanosoma evansi; ultrastructure; adrenal gland.