TY - JOUR
T1 - Congenital Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi in Naturally Infected Dogs
AU - Avalos-Borges, Eduardo E.
AU - Jiménez-Coello, Matilde
AU - Chan-Pérez, Jose I.
AU - Cigarroa-Toledo, Nohemi
AU - Garg, Nisha J.
AU - Guillermo-Cordero, Leonardo
AU - Segura-Correa, Jose C.
AU - Ortega-Pacheco, Antonio
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2023.
PY - 2023/9/1
Y1 - 2023/9/1
N2 - Background: Congenital transmission (CT) of Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs has not been clearly demonstrated, even though dogs are important reservoirs of this agent. Materials and Methods: Seventeen late pregnant dogs seropositive for T. cruzi were selected, and a total of 84 fetuses were obtained. Blood and heart tissues from the fetuses and dams, and placental tissue from dam were collected. All tissues were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for T. cruzi DNA (TcDNA) and inflammatory infiltrate and pathology by histological examination. CT was determined when physical, histological, or molecular evidence of T. cruzi was detected in blood or tissues of the fetuses. Results: A general transmission frequency of 59% was found, and 0.20 ± 0.24 of fetuses per litter were infected. Dams that were qPCR positive for TcDNA in cardiac tissue or blood displayed a transmission frequency of 100% and 67%, respectively. The highest parasite burden was noted in dams that were positive for TcDNA in both blood (82E-01 ± 1.54E-01) and cardiac (5.28E+03 ± 8.85E+03) tissues. In fetuses, higher parasitic burden in blood and cardiac tissue was found in those carried by dams that were seropositive and qPCR positive for TcDNA in cardiac tissue and blood. No amastigote nests were recorded in the cardiac tissue of fetuses in the histopathological studies, but typical lesions of T. cruzi infection were identified in all fetuses where CT occurred. Conclusions: CT of T. cruzi occurred at a high frequency in naturally infected pregnant dogs from the endemic areas.
AB - Background: Congenital transmission (CT) of Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs has not been clearly demonstrated, even though dogs are important reservoirs of this agent. Materials and Methods: Seventeen late pregnant dogs seropositive for T. cruzi were selected, and a total of 84 fetuses were obtained. Blood and heart tissues from the fetuses and dams, and placental tissue from dam were collected. All tissues were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for T. cruzi DNA (TcDNA) and inflammatory infiltrate and pathology by histological examination. CT was determined when physical, histological, or molecular evidence of T. cruzi was detected in blood or tissues of the fetuses. Results: A general transmission frequency of 59% was found, and 0.20 ± 0.24 of fetuses per litter were infected. Dams that were qPCR positive for TcDNA in cardiac tissue or blood displayed a transmission frequency of 100% and 67%, respectively. The highest parasite burden was noted in dams that were positive for TcDNA in both blood (82E-01 ± 1.54E-01) and cardiac (5.28E+03 ± 8.85E+03) tissues. In fetuses, higher parasitic burden in blood and cardiac tissue was found in those carried by dams that were seropositive and qPCR positive for TcDNA in cardiac tissue and blood. No amastigote nests were recorded in the cardiac tissue of fetuses in the histopathological studies, but typical lesions of T. cruzi infection were identified in all fetuses where CT occurred. Conclusions: CT of T. cruzi occurred at a high frequency in naturally infected pregnant dogs from the endemic areas.
KW - Trypanosoma cruzi
KW - congenital transmission
KW - dog
KW - heart tissue
KW - qPCR
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U2 - 10.1089/vbz.2022.0086
DO - 10.1089/vbz.2022.0086
M3 - Article
C2 - 37339451
AN - SCOPUS:85170717195
SN - 1530-3667
VL - 23
SP - 465
EP - 474
JO - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
IS - 9
ER -