Abstract The present study assessed clinico-epidemiological and sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in patients who were co-infected with T. gondii in the border region of Brazil. HIV-positive patients who were attended by the Expert Assistance Service in Foz do Iguaçu city were assessed using a questionnaire and medical records. Of the 332 patients with HIV/autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who were evaluated, 111 had serology for toxoplasmosis, which could be attributed to the location of the city (i.e., border region) and tourism that encourages the intense flow of people. Toxoplasmosis infection was prevalent among patients who were 18-60 years old, had education up to the 4th grade of elementary school, ate raw vegetables from home, handled soil without gloves, drank untreated water, and allowed street cats to enter their homes. These findings contribute to assessments of the toxoplasmosis profile of HIV/AIDS patients who have a high rate of toxoplasmosis. The results may contribute to improving public health, especially in border regions with characteristics that are similar to this study. Effective measures need to be implemented to control morbidity and mortality that are associated with HIV/AIDS and toxoplasmosis in the evaluated population.

Abstract: We investigated the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the total myenteric neuronal population in the descending colon in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice. Thirty-five male Swiss mice, 60 days old, were divided into a control group (C group), control group treated with ASA (CA group), infected group (I group), and infected group treated with ASA (IA group). A total of 1300 trypomastigotes of the Y strain of T. cruzi were intraperitoneally inoculated in the IA and I groups. The CA and IA groups were treated with ASA intraperitoneally. At 75 days post-infection (dpi), all of the animals were sacrificed. Neurons in the colon were stained with Giemsa, quantified, and measured. No difference in the course of infection was observed between the IA and I groups, reflected by the parasitemia curve. Acetylsalicylic acid treatment in the CA and IA groups did not alter the total number of myenteric neurons compared with the C and I groups. The CA and IA groups exhibited an increase in the nuclear area, cytoplasmic area, and neuronal body area compared with the C and I groups. Future studies should elucidate the mechanism of action of ASA against Chagas’ disease in the chronic phase.

Definir um modelo experimental de avaliação de alterações quantitativas e morfométricas nos neurônios mientéricos do cólon de camundongos infectados pelo Trypanosoma cruzi. Vinte e oito camundongos Swiss machos foram distribuídos nos grupos: controle (GC, n=9) e infectados com 100 (IG100, n=9) e 1000 (IG1000, n=10) tripomastigotas sanguíneos, cepa Y-T. cruzi II. A parasitemia foi avaliada 3-25 dias pós inoculação (dpi), com pico de parasitos de 7,7 × 10(6) e 8,4 × 10(6) tripomastigotas/mL no 8º dpi (p>0,05) em IG100 e IG1000, respectivamente. A fase crônica da infecção foi obtida com duas doses de 100mg/Kg/weight e uma dose de 250mg/Kg/ weight do benznidazol, em 11, 16 e 18 dpi. Três animais de cada grupo foram sacrificados aos 18, 30 e 75 dpi. O cólon foi corado com Giemsa. A análise quantitativa e morfométrica de neurônios revelou que a infecção causou uma diminuição da densidade neuronal no 30º dpi (p<0,05) e 75 dpi (p<0,05) em IG100 e IG1000. A infecção causou morte e hipertrofia neuronal no 75º dpi em IG100 e IG1000 (p<0,05, p<0,01). As alterações observadas nos neurônios mientéricos foram diretamente relacionadas ao inóculo e tempo de infecção

Define an experimental model by evaluating quantitative and morphometric changes in myenteric neurons of the colon of mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Twenty-eight Swiss male mice were distributed into groups: control (CG, n=9) and inoculated with 100 (IG100, n=9) and 1000 (IG1000, n=10) blood trypomastigotes, Y strain-T. cruzi II. Parasitemia was evaluated from 3-25 days post inoculation (dpi) with parasites peak of 7.7 × 10(6) and 8.4 × 10(6) trypomastigotes/mL at 8th dpi (p>0.05) in IG100 and IG1000, respectively. Chronic phase of the infection was obtained with two doses of 100mg/Kg/weight and one dose of 250mg/Kg/weight of Benznidazole on 11, 16 and 18 dpi. Three animals from each group were euthanized at 18, 30 and 75 dpi. The colon was stained with Giemsa. The quantitative and morphometric analysis of neurons revealed that the infection caused a decrease of neuronal density on 30th dpi (p<0.05) and 75 dpi (p<0.05) in IG100 and IG1000. Infection caused death and neuronal hypertrophy in the 75th dpi in IG100 and IG1000 (p<0.05, p<0.01). The changes observed in myenteric neurons were directly related to the inoculate and the time of infection

Neste estudo, foram avaliados os efeitos da infecção crônica por taquizoítos de Toxoplasma gondii sobre os neurônios mientéricos do cólon descendente de ratos adultos. Utilizaram-se 10 ratos Wistar machos, com 60 dias de idade, divididos em grupo controle e experimental, que foram inoculados por via oral com 10(5) taquizoítos do genótipo I de T. gondii. Após 30 dias, os animais foram anestesiados e submetidos à laparatomia. O cólon descendente foi retirado, mensurado, dissecado e seus preparados de membrana submetidos à técnica de Giemsa, para coloração dos neurônios do plexo mientérico, seguido por análise morfométrica e quantitativa. Verificou-se que a infecção não causou alterações nas dimensões do órgão ou na população neuronal, porém houve um aumento significativo da área do pericário e citoplasma.

The effects of the chronic infection due to Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites on the myenteric neurons of the adult rat descending colon were assessed in this study. Ten male, 60-day-old, Wistar rats, divided into control and experimental group were orally inoculated with 10(5) tachyzoites from Toxoplasma gondii genotype I strain. After 30 days, the animals were anesthetized and submitted to laparotomy. The descending colon was removed, dissected, and the whole-mounts were staining by Giemsa, in order to observe neurons of the myenteric plexus, followed by quantitative and morphometric analysis. It was verified that the infection caused alterations neither with respect to the dimensions of the organ nor the neuronal population; however, there was a significant increase of the perikarion area and the cytoplasm.