Trypanosoma cruzi: distinct patterns of infection in the sibling caviomorph rodent species Thrichomys apereoides laurentius and Thrichomys pachyurus (Rodentia, Echimyidae).
Thrichomys apereoides, a caviomorph rodent species common in a highly endemic area for Chagas disease in Brazil, may act as reservoir of the parasite. However, no information is available concerning its sibling species Thrichomys pachyurus, found in the Pantanal region, where Trypanosoma cruzi is found only in the enzootic cycle. We followed up the cross infection of these cryptic species with two isolates derived from naturally infected T. pachyurus and Thrichomys apereoides laurentius. No regional co-adaptation between Thrichomys species and the regional isolates were noticed. However, significant differences in the outcome of the infection were observed. T. a. laurentius was more resistant than T. pachyurus, as expressed by lower parasitemia and less histopathological damage. The routine biochemical markers used for laboratory rodents were unsuitable for follow up of infection in Thrichomys spp, since they did not correlate with the histopathological findings or allowed the kinetic follow-up of tissue colonization by the parasite.
Roque
André Luiz Rodrigues
AL
Laboratory of Tripanosomatid Biology, Department of Protozoology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, CEP. 21040-360, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil.
D'Andrea
Paulo Sérgio
PS
de Andrade
Gisele Braziliano
GB
Jansen
Ana Maria
AM
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D001798:Blood Proteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase