title: Experimental infection by Trypanosoma evansi in sheep: Occurrence of transplacental transmission and mice infection by parasite present in the colostrum and milk of infected ewes.
abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate vertical transmission of Trypanosoma evansi in sheep experimentally infected, in addition to the mammary transmission by colostrum or milk of these infected sheep to mice. Three pregnant sheep were used: one uninfected, four months pregnant (Sheep A); and two (Sheep B and C) infected intravenously by T. evansi trypomastigotes (4.6×10(6) per animal) on the third (Sheep C) and fourth (Sheep B) month of pregnancy. Both infected sheep developed low and oscillating parasitemia measured by blood smears. Hemogram was performed at seven day intervals, showing anemia, leukocytosis, and lymphocytosis on sheep B and C. Three sheep had twins, where sheep A delivered healthy lambs and both infected sheep had delivered at least one stillborn. Additionally, lambs from sheep B and C died 24 and 72 h post-partum, respectively. Before colostrum intake, four lambs from infected sheep were positives for T. evansi according to blood smear evaluation, serology (CATT/T. evansi), and PCR. Sheep colostrum and milk samples collected from the first four days post-partum were positives for T. evansi on PCR, and these samples were able to infect seven mice (out of 10) orally (n=4/5) and intraperitoneally (n=3/5). Therefore, we conclude that the vertical transmission of T. evansi occurs in pregnant sheep, in addition to a strong possibility of the transmission by colostrum and milk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campigotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: aleksandro_ss@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Aleksandro S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volpato
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balzan
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Willian M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Radavelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Soldá
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hyolanda M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Grosskopf
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lenita M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anderson E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Tonin
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UDESC, Lages, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo H E
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UDESC, Lages, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Miletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Medicine, UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia T A
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003126:Colostrum / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000662:veterinary; D051379:Mice; D008892:Milk / Q000469:parasitology; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Congenital transmission; Ovis aries; Trypanosomosis