title: Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa) as an Animal Model for Experimental Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.
abstract: Pigs were infected with a Bolivian strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (genotype I) and evaluated up to 150 days postinoculation (dpi) to determine the use of pigs as an animal model of Chagas disease. Parasitemia was observed in the infected pigs during the acute phase (15-40 dpi). Anti-T. cruzi immunoglobulin M was detected during 15-75 dpi; high levels of anti-T. cruzi immunoglobulin G were detected in all infected pigs from 75 to 150 dpi. Parasitic DNA was observed by western blot (58%, 28/48) and polymerase chain reaction (27%, 13/48) in urine samples, and in the brain (75%, 3/4), spleen (50%, 2/4), and duodenum (25%, 1/4), but no parasitic DNA was found in the heart, colon, and kidney. Parasites were not observed microscopically in tissues samples, but mild inflammation, vasculitis, and congestion was observed in heart, brain, kidney, and spleen. This pig model was useful for the standardization of the urine test because of the higher volume that can be obtained as compared with other small animal models. However, further experiments are required to observe pathological changes characteristic of Chagas disease in humans.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yauri
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Yagahira E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Castro-Sesquen
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verastegui
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Angulo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Recuenco
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malaga
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Caryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bern
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland cgavidiac@unmsm.edu.pe.
authors.forename: Cesar M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gavidia
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Laboratorio de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000652:urine; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D018512:Parasitemia; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G