Increasing of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> (Coccidia, Sarcocystidae) infections by <i>Trypanosoma lewisi</i> (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) in white rats

Abstract

To demonstrate that T. lewisi infection increases T. gondii multiplication in white rats, groups of five Wistar oc Sprague Dawley rats were inoculated with 106 T. lewisi trypomastigoles and four or seven days later infected with Toxoplasma tachyzoites. Host survival time was monitored, and !he presence of T. gondii was confirmed in all dead rals by studying peritoneal exudate smears and lung tissue sections stained with haematoxylin-eosin. The presence of Toxoplasma cysts or antibodies was ehecked in the brain oí surviving rals. The ¡nerease is observed four days after trypanosome inoculatíon and is dependen! on fat strain, bul not on inoculum size oc cat age. Humoral and cellular factors may have a role in ¡he ¡nerease as has been reported for other experimental infections with African trypanosomes and T. cruzi.