Co-infection with Trypanosoma cruzi protects mice against early death by neurological or pulmonary disorders induced by Plasmodium berghei ANKA

Objective: the objective of this study was to investigate whether the infection of C57BL/ 6 mice by P. berghei ANKA, which causes severe malaria, was modulated by co-infection with Trypanosoma cruzi.Methods: Groups of C57BL/ 6 mice were infected either with P. berghei ANKA, T. cruzi strain G, or with both parasites. the presence of parasites was checked by microscopic examination of blood samples. Symptoms of neurological or respiratory disorders, as well as mortality, were registered. Breakdown of the blood brain barrier was determined by injecting the dye Evans blue. Histological sections of the lung were prepared and stained with hematoxilin-eosin.Results: All mice infected only with P. berghei ANKA died within 7-11 days post-infection, either with symptoms of cerebral malaria or with respiratory abnormalities. the animals co- infected with T. cruzi strain G survived longer, without any of the referred to symptoms. Protection against the early death by severe malaria was effective when mice were given T. cruzi 15 days before P. berghei inoculation. Breakdown of the blood brain barrier and extensive pulmonary oedema, caused by malaria parasites, were much less pronounced in co- infected mice. the degree of protection to severe malaria and early death, conferred by co- infection with T. cruzi, was comparable to that conferred by treatment with anti-CD8 antibodies.Conclusion: Co-infection with T. cruzi protects C57BL/ 6 against the early death by malaria infection, by partially preventing either the breakdown of the blood brain, and cerebral malaria as a consequence, or the pulmonary oedema.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morfol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Parasitol, Campinas, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Morfol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Mortality and course of infection in mice infected with ANKA and/or G strain

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Co-infection with protects mice against early death by neurological or pulmonary disorders induced by ANKA"</p><p>http://www.malariajournal.com/content/6/1/90</p><p>Malaria Journal 2007;6():90-90.</p><p>Published online 9 Jul 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1965473.</p><p></p> Of three groups of C57BL/6 mice from the same batch, two were inoculated with metacyclic forms. Fifteen days later, -parasitized erythrocytes were given to the uninfected (n = 6) and to one of the -infected group (n = 7), whereas one group remained infected with only (n = 6). A) Note the increased survival time in co-infected mice, as compared to the group infected with only. B) Parasitaemia of is expressed in percentage of parasitized erythrocytes and the values indicate the means ± SD. C) parasitaemias of individual mice are shown. Shown are the representative data from a set of experiments

Effect of anti-CD8 antibodies on the mortality and course of infection in mice infected with ANKA or co-infected with G strain

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Co-infection with protects mice against early death by neurological or pulmonary disorders induced by ANKA"</p><p>http://www.malariajournal.com/content/6/1/90</p><p>Malaria Journal 2007;6():90-90.</p><p>Published online 9 Jul 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1965473.</p><p></p> Of five groups of C57BL/6 mice, three were inoculated with metacyclic forms. Fifteen days later, -parasitized erythrocytes were given to two uninfected groups (each n = 5), two -infected group (each n = 5), whereas one group remained infected with only (n = 5). On day 0 and 5 of malaria infection, one -infected and one co-infected group were treated with anti-CD8 antibodies. B) Parasitaemia of is expressed in percentage of parasitized erythrocytes and the values indicate the means ± SD

Pulmonary oedema induced in mice infected with ANKA or co-infected with

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Co-infection with protects mice against early death by neurological or pulmonary disorders induced by ANKA"</p><p>http://www.malariajournal.com/content/6/1/90</p><p>Malaria Journal 2007;6():90-90.</p><p>Published online 9 Jul 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1965473.</p><p></p> C57BL/6 mice were separated in three groups, two of which were inoculated with G. strain. Fifteen days later, one uninfected (n = 5) and one -infected group (n = 5) were inoculated with ANKA, whereas one group remained uninfected (n = 3). When -infected mice died from respiratory disorder, their lungs were collected for histological preparations and staining with hematoxilin-eosin. At this time, the corresponding number of mice in the co-infected group had also their lungs removed for histological sections and staining. Uninfected controls were subjected to the same procedure