Comparison of the infectivity of Trypanosoma
cruzi insect-derived metacyclic trypomastigotes after mucosal and
cutaneous contaminative challenges |
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Authors: | Christopher Steven Eickhoff Brian Anthony Dunn Nicole Lea Sullivan Daniel Fredric Hoft |
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Institution: | 1.Department of Internal Medicine;2.Department of Molecular Microbiology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA |
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Abstract: | Trypanosoma cruzi infects humans when infected triatomine
vector excreta contaminate breaks in skin or mucosal surfaces. T.
cruzi insect-derived metacyclic trypomastigotes (IMT) invade
through gastric mucosa after oral challenges without any visible inflammatory
changes, while cutaneous and conjunctival infections result in obvious local
physical signs. In this study we compared the infectivity of T.
cruzi IMT in mice after cutaneous and oral contaminative challenges
simulating natural infections. The 50% infective dose (ID50) for oral challenge
was 100 fold lower than the ID50for cutaneous challenge, indicating that oral
mucosal transmission is more efficient than cutaneous transmission. |
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Keywords: | Trypanosoma cruzi mucosal immunity Chagas disease animal disease models infection control |
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