Hematological alterations during experimental canine infection by Trypanosoma cruzi.

To confirm that Beagle dogs are a good experimental model for Chagas disease, we evaluated hematological alterations during the acute and chronic phases in Beagle dogs infected with the Y, Berenice-78 (Be-78) and ABC strains of Trypanosomacruzi, correlating clinical signs with the parasitemia curve. We demonstrate that the acute phase of infection was marked by lethargy and loss of appetite. Simultaneously, we observed anemia, leukocytosis and lymphocytosis.

Increased type 1 chemokine expression in experimental Chagas disease correlates with cardiac pathology in beagle dogs.

Chemokines and chemokine receptors interaction have presented important role in leukocyte migration to specific immune reaction sites. Recently, it has been reported that chemokine receptors CXC (CXCR3) and CC (CCR5) were preferentially expressed on Th1 cells while CCR3 and CCR4 were preferentially expressed on Th2 cells. This study evaluated the mRNA expression of type 1 and type 2 chemokine and chemokine receptors in the cardiac tissue of Beagle dogs infected with distinct genetic groups of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y, Berenice-78 and ABC strains) during acute and chronic phases.

Cutting edge: nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1-dependent responses account for murine resistance against Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

An effective innate immune recognition of the intracellular protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is critical for host resistance against Chagas disease, a severe and chronic illness that affects millions of people in Latin America. In this study, we evaluated the participation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (Nod)-like receptor proteins in host response to T. cruzi infection and found that Nod1-dependent, but not Nod2-dependent, responses are required for host resistance against infection.