Evaluation of Akodon molinae as a wild reservoir for Tripanosoma cruzi.

DOÑA, R. D.; CALENDINO, J.; ENRIQUE CAVIEDES VIDAL

Merlo, San Luis

Congreso; Reunión anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2004

EVALUATION OF Akodon molinae AS A WILD RESERVOIR FOR Trypanosoma cruzi. Doña RD, Calendino J Caviedes-Vidal E .Unidad Invest Cs Biol, Univ Nac Sun Luis, 5700 Sun Luis. E-mail: dona@unsl.edu.ar Alcodon molinae, a sigmodontine rodent of wide geographical distribution in Argentina, is a putative wild reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. The hypothesis was tested in Beazley (San Luis, Argentina), a region where this rodent is abundant. We searched for trypanosomes by (a) microscopical examination of fresh blood samples. Morphology and biometry were assessed from parasite photomicrographies from blood preparations stained with May-Griinwald Giemsa. Criteria for data analysis were: parasite grouping; shape and size of the parasite; flagellum length; size and location of the kinetoplast, and size and location of the nucleus. (b) DNA extraction and PCR using primers # 12 1 y #I 22 that amplify kADN of T. cruzi y T. rangeli. Out of 77 individuals captured, 21 (27.3%) exhibited parasitemia with trypanosomes. Three types of kinetoplastids were distinguished: 1) with a body length (BL) range between 16-24 um ma,n d a nucleus located (NL) in central third of the body (N=l1/77); 2) BL range 16-24 um NL in the distal third of the body (N=5/77); 3) Non detectable by microscopy, but detectable by PCR (N=2/77). These results suggest that A. molinae has a relatively low incidence in the wild cycle of Chagas disease (2.3% of infection by T cruzi) actually lower than for other trypanosomatides EVALUATION OF Akodon molinae AS A WILD RESERVOIR FOR Trypanosoma cruzi. Doña RD, Calendino J Caviedes-Vidal E .Unidad Invest Cs Biol, Univ Nac Sun Luis, 5700 Sun Luis. E-mail: dona@unsl.edu.ar Alcodon molinae, a sigmodontine rodent of wide geographical distribution in Argentina, is a putative wild reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. The hypothesis was tested in Beazley (San Luis, Argentina), a region where this rodent is abundant. We searched for trypanosomes by (a) microscopical examination of fresh blood samples. Morphology and biometry were assessed from parasite photomicrographies from blood preparations stained with May-Griinwald Giemsa. Criteria for data analysis were: parasite grouping; shape and size of the parasite; flagellum length; size and location of the kinetoplast, and size and location of the nucleus. (b) DNA extraction and PCR using primers # 12 1 y #I 22 that amplify kADN of T. cruzi y T. rangeli. Out of 77 individuals captured, 21 (27.3%) exhibited parasitemia with trypanosomes. Three types of kinetoplastids were distinguished: 1) with a body length (BL) range between 16-24 um ma,n d a nucleus located (NL) in central third of the body (N=l1/77); 2) BL range 16-24 um NL in the distal third of the body (N=5/77); 3) Non detectable by microscopy, but detectable by PCR (N=2/77). These results suggest that A. molinae has a relatively low incidence in the wild cycle of Chagas disease (2.3% of infection by T cruzi) actually lower than for other trypanosomatides