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Trypanosoma evansi in inbred and Swiss-Webster mice: distinct aspects of pathogenesis

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Abstract

Trypanosoma evansi (Trypanosomatidae, Kinetoplastida) is a salivarian trypanosomatid that infects eight mammal orders spread over America, Europe and Asia. In Brazil, T. evansi is the etiological agent of “Mal de Cadeiras”, a horse disease very often described in the region known as Pantanal do Mato Grosso. Few data concerning the genetic diversity and biology of subpopulations of T. evansi that circulate in Brazil are available. The factors that modulate the interaction of this parasite with its hosts also remain to be elucidated. Here we evaluated the course of experimental infection of six T. evansi isolates derived from domestic and wild animals in Swiss-Webster mice and three Mus musculus lineages. The follow-up included biological, immunological as well as biochemical and hematological parameters. The same isolates as well as three others were characterized by pulsed-field electrophoresis. Our results showed that T. evansi isolates displayed significant differences regarding behavior and morbidity patterns in the distinct mouse lineages. Nevertheless, these differences could not be correlated with pulsed-field electrophoresis profiles. Indeed, concerning this molecular marker, only microheterogeneity was observed. Moreover, we observed that the outcome of the infection is defined by both host genetic background and peculiarities (virulence factors) of the distinct T. evansi isolates. Anemia and hypoglycemia were the only features that could be observed in all mouse lineages, independently of the inoculated T. evansi subpopulation. In addition, our data also show that Mus musculus is a suitable model host for the study of the different pathogenetic features of T. evansi infection.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dra Bongertz for English revision. We thank Carlos Alberto Arde Ruiz and Alcidineia Ivo for technical help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Protozoology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, A.v. Brasil 4365, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Valquíria Trajano de Menezes, Adriana Oliveira Queiroz, Maria Angélica Muniz Gomes & Ana Maria Jansen

  2. Joaquim Venâncio Polythecnic School, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, A.v. Brasil 4365, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marcos Antônio Pereira Marques

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  1. Valquíria Trajano de Menezes
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  2. Adriana Oliveira Queiroz
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  3. Maria Angélica Muniz Gomes
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  4. Marcos Antônio Pereira Marques
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  5. Ana Maria Jansen
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Correspondence to Ana Maria Jansen.

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de Menezes, V., Oliveira Queiroz, A., Gomes, M.A.M. et al. Trypanosoma evansi in inbred and Swiss-Webster mice: distinct aspects of pathogenesis. Parasitol Res 94, 193–200 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1207-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1207-4

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