The gastrointestinal tract is the major site of <i>T</i>. <i>cruzi</i> persistence in mice infected with either wild type or null mutant parasites.

Abstract

<p><i>Ex vivo</i> imaging of organs from two representative mice of each group (groups as in <a href="http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003707#pntd.0003707.g004" target="_blank">Fig 4</a>), one sacrificed at day 56 (<b>A</b>) and one at day 63 (<b>B</b>). Each of the images is on the same luminescence scale (right) for radiance where purple indicates low signal intensity and red indicates a high signal. The maximum (5.5x10⁵) and minimum (4.9 x10³) signals are indicated at the top and bottom of the scale bar respectively. The heart is indicated in each image by a white arrow. Foci of infection are visible in the stomach and colon in all cases. Occasional foci were detected in the heart, gut mesenteries and lungs. The schematic at the bottom of the TcΔAPx1 column indicates the layout of organs in each dish, abbreviations: Gut Mes: Gut mesenteries, SKM: skeletal muscle (right hind leg), vis fat: visceral fat, OES: oesophagus, STM: stomach.</p