Abstract

LUGO DE YARBUH, Ana et al. Proliferation of Trypanosoma cruzi in the peritoneal membrane and ascitic liquid of mice with acute infection. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2013, vol.53, n.2, pp.146-156. ISSN 1690-4648.

In this study we analyzed the parasitemia and parasitism in the ascitic fluid (AF), peritoneal membrane (PM) and in other tissues of 40 NMRI male mice during acute infection. Mice (20 mice per group) were inoculated by intradermal route with metacyclic trypomastigotes T.cI lineage of P6 or P11 strains obtained from Rhodnius prolixus. Slender and stout forms were observed in the blood of all mice. In infected mice with P6 strain the trypomastigotes were observed first in the AF at day 13 pi and in blood at day 18 pi. Meanwhile in infected mice with P11 strain trypomastigotes were observed first in the blood at day 15 pi and in the AF at day 22 pi. Infected mice showed emaciation, dyspnea, bristled hair, loss of motor activities in the rear limbs and hepatosplenomegaly. Mice were sacrificed at day 39 pi. Histological finding indicated that T. cruzi proliferates forming amastigotes and trypomastigotes nests in the PM. Parasites were also observed in skeletal muscle of the mice and in the heart of infected mice with P6 strain. Imunostaining with PAP revealed T. cruzi antigen in esophagus, stomach, thin and thick intestine, spleen, and kidney, liver, prostate and penis. The results show that P6 and P11 colonized and produced abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, renal and reproductive organs. Intra-peritoneal localization of parasites and accumulation of peritoneal fluid, revealed ascites and peritonitis caused by increase of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and destruction of the membrane peritoneal of the mice. This study reports for the first time the proliferation of trypomastigotes in the peritoneal cavity five days earlier than in peripheral blood for the P6 strain causing intra-peritoneal damage and death in the murine model used.

Keywords : Trypanosoma cruzi; mice; peritoneal membrane; ascites; peritonitis.

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