Histological and histomorphometric evaluation of the retina of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni in its hepatosplenic form.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate retinal manifestations of Schistosomiasis mansoni in its hepatosplenic form in mice.


METHODS
It was performed a study with two groups of mice; one of them was infected with 40 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni. After 120 days of the infection, the eyes underwent a retinal microscopy study. The histology findings were reported. Histomorphometric analysis was also performed, including: thickness measurement of the retinal layer and the number of the ganglion layer cells.


RESULTS
In one case a retinal granuloma was found. The analysis of the other histological sections demonstrated normal architecture of the retina. The mean thickness of the retinal layer between the two groups were similar (41.81+/-6.09 microm versus 38.48+/-8.58 microm - p=0.279); as well as the mean number of the ganglion layer cells (20.93+/-4.88 versus 20.64+/-4.10 - p=0.864). Disorganization of the retinal layers was not identified and the histomorphometric analysis revealed no significant difference between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of findings in this study does not exclude that hemodynamic and autoregulation changes associated with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis could be correlated to retinal manifestations. It is necessary that other methods with a high parasite infection should be performed.
Remígio
Maria Cecília de Aguiar
MC
Department of Surgery and Laboratory of Immunology and Pathology Keizo Asami, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil. ceciliaremigio@uol.com.br
Brandt
Carlos Teixeira
CT
Pontes Filho
Nicodemos Teles de
NT
Albuquerque
Monica Camelo Pessoa de Azevedo
MC
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications*; D051379:Mice; D011897:Random Allocation; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000473:pathology*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*