Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. This study aimed to determine the effects of T. cruzi infection on fertility rate and health of the newborn pups in pregnant mice. Female
mice were challenged with T. cruzi and mated at 21 days (acute parasitemic phase) or 90 days (chronic parasite persistence
phase) after infection. Pups were examined for growth up to 20 days after birth; and
parasite burden in brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and intestine was measured by real-time
quantitative PCR. The inflammatory infiltrate, necrosis, and fibrosis in pups' heart
and brain tissues were evaluated by histology. It was found that T. cruzi infection in dams delayed the onset of pregnancy, decreased the fertility rate, and
led to vertical transmission of parasite to the pups. Furthermore, infected dams delivered
pups that exhibited decreased survival rate, decreased birth weight, and decreased
growth rate. Significantly increased inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis of cardiac
and brain tissues were noted in pups born to infected dams. Initial challenge with
higher parasite dose had more detrimental effects on fertility rate and pups' health
in both acutely and chronically infected dams. In conclusion, mice offer a promising
model to evaluate the efficacy of new vaccines and therapeutic drugs in controlling
the acute and chronic maternal T. cruzi infection and congenital transmission to newborns, and in improving the fertility
rate and pups' health outcomes.
Graphical abstract
Graphical Abstract
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 21, 2022
Accepted:
November 30,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofFootnotes
Supported in part by the NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant AI136031 (N.J.G.) and the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity (N.J.G.); and by predoctoral fellowships from Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, Zelda Zinn Casper Scholars Endowment, and McLaughlin Endowment at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (L.E.R.).
Disclosures: None declared.
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© 2022 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
