title: Alterations of the myenteric plexus of the ileum and the descending colon caused by Toxoplasma gondii (genotype III).
abstract: Alterations caused by a genotype III strain of Toxoplasma gondii were assessed with respect to the number and the morphometry of the myenteric neurons in the terminal ileum and the descending colon. Eighteen rats were divided into four groups: Acute Control Group (ACG, n=4); Acute Experimental Group (AEG, n=4); Chronic Control Group (CCG, n=5) and Chronic Experimental Group (CEG, n=5). NaCl solution was administered through gavage to the animals in the ACG and CCG. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites (10(4)) from a genotype III strain were orally administered to the AEG and CEG. Acute Groups were died after 24 hours, and the Chronic Groups after 30 days. Neuronal loss was not observed in both organs. The neurons atrophied in the terminal ileum as the opposite occurred with the neurons at the descending colon during the chronic phase of infection. In the terminal ileum, the neurons atrophied during the chronic phase of the infection as no alteration was found during the acute phase. For the descending colon, the neurons became hypertrophic during the chronic infection in opposition to the atrophy found during the acute phase.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Neurogastroenterology Laboratory, Umuarama, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Yae Yamashita
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Sugauara
authors.forename: Débora de Mello Gonçales
authors.initials: Dde M
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana
authors.forename: Elton Carlos de
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Anderson Brunetti
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Aristeu Vieira da
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Eduardo José de Almeida
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Araújo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D044683:Colon, Descending / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005838:Genotype; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D007410:Intestinal Diseases; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*