Abstract
We report a natural case of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a dog from Brazil that died after presenting apathy, anorexia, diarrhea, mucous pallor, and hypoglycemia. At necropsy, lymphadenopathy and enlargement of the spleen, liver, and heart were observed and also fibrin deposition over the liver capsule and spleen. The lungs were edematous with a reddish-to-blueish color. The liver had severe multifocal to centrolobular congestion, with slight hepatocyte dissociation, vacuolation, and severe necrosis. Lymph nodes showed multifocal follicular to coalescent lymphoid hyperplasia, and the heart had severe multifocal to coalescent lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. Cysts containing basophilic structures compatible with Trypanosoma sp. were observed in cardiomyocytes, and trypomastigotes were observed in blood smears. T cruzi DNA was detected using a molecular method in the myocardium. The necropsy findings, age, and clinical history confirmed a congenital infection. The present report reinforces the importance of continuous surveillance for similar cases of trypanossomiasis in dogs in endemic areas, as well as for a potential role of dogs as reservoirs of T.cruzi infection for humans.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Dr. Eduardo F. Flores (Setor de Virologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria) for the critical review of the article and to the veterinarians who provided the information on the clinical case.
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Ana Paula G. Mortari and Fernanda S. F. Vogel hold fellowships from the “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico” (CNPq). This research was partially funded by the “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil” (CAPES)—Financial Code 001.
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Conceptualization: APGM, FSFV, and JFC. Methodology: APGM, EKM, and KRM. Formal analysis and investigation: APGM, FSFV, and JFC. Writing—original draft preparation: APGM and FSFV. Writing—review and editing: APGM, EKM, FSFV, and JFC. Funding acquisition: none. Resources: EKM. Supervision: FSFV.
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Mortari, A.P.G., Masuda, E.K., Molarinho, K.R. et al. Acute trypanosomiasis in a dog from Brazil: a case report study. Comp Clin Pathol 31, 17–21 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03298-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-021-03298-x