apyrase and Parasitemia

Many reproductive problems has been described in male and female animals infected by Trypanosoma evansi. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of vertical (Experiment I) and venereal (Experiment II) transmission of T. evansi in rats experimentally infected. In the experiment I, eight female Wistar rats were used: three animals as negative controls, and five rats were infected by T. evansi on day ten of gestation. Out of these eight females, half puppies were used for molecular analysis (polymerase chain reaction - PCR) for T. evansi. Two infected females showed delivery problems, such as stillbirth, and fetal death that also led to female death. Three female rats infected had normal delivery of stunted offspring at term that died 2 days after birth. Rats from the control group had normal delivery of healthy offspring. T. evansi PCR was positive for 80% (12/15) of pups in the infected group. For the experiment II, five male rats were infected by T. evansi, and monitored by blood smears to check the parasitemia level. When the male rats showed parasitemia between 2 and 5 parasites per field, they were individually housed with one female adult rat. After approximately 21 days, the females delivered their offspring. Blood sample was collected from the females for blood smears and T. evansi PCR tests, which revealed negative results. Therefore, we were able to prove the occurrence of transplacental transmission of T. evansi and its negative effect on female rats and their offspring.

Topics: Animals; Antigens, CD; Apyrase; DNA, Protozoan; Dogs; Female; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Male; Parasitemia; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Pregnancy; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Trypanosoma; Trypanosomiasis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of purinergic enzymes in lymphocytes and cardiac tissue of mice experimentally infected by Trypanosoma cruzi. Twelve female mice were used, divided into two groups (n = 6): uninfected and infected. On day 12 post-infection (PI), the animals were anesthetized and after euthanized, and samples were collected for analyses. Infected mice showed reduction in erythrocyte counts, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration, as well as reduced number of total leukocytes in consequence of neutrophilia (P < 0.01). The number of monocytes increased in infected mice (P < 0.001), however the number of lymphocytes and eosinophils did not differ between groups (P > 0.05). The E-NTPDase (ATP and ADP substrate) and E-ADA activities in lymphocytes increased significantly in mice infected by T. cruzi (P < 0.01). In the heart, multiple pseudocysts containing amastigotes within cardiomyocytes were observed, as well as focally extensive severe necrosis associated with diffuse moderate to severe inflammatory infiltrate of lymphocytes. Although, the NTPDase activity (ATP and ADP substrate) in the cardiac homogenate did not differ between groups, a reduction on 5'-nucleotidase activity (P < 0.001) and an increase in the ADA activity in infected animals (P < 0.05) were observed. Thus, animals infected by T. cruzi experienced the disease, i.e., showed anemia, leucopenia, and heart lesions. Associated with this, purinergic enzymes showed altered activities, which might be related to the modulation of the inflammatory response.

Topics: 5'-Nucleotidase; Adenosine; Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Monophosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; Antigens, CD; Apyrase; Chagas Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Heart; Hematologic Tests; Hydrolysis; Lymphocytes; Mice; Myocardium; Myocytes, Cardiac; Parasitemia; Purines; Trypanosoma cruzi