Biological, morphological and molecular study of two strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) isolated from Triatoma sordida and Triatoma rubrovaria (Hemiptera, Reduviidae)

• Grant number: 11/20626-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: João Aristeu da Rosa
• Grantee: Larissa Aguiar de Almeida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, was described by Carlos Ribeiro Justiniano das Chagas in 1909 in Lassance, MG. It is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmited to humans by hemipterans insects commonly known as "kissing bugs" which are the most important genera is Panstrongylus, Rhodinus and Triatoma. This zoonosis affects 10 milion people mainly in Latin America. It is known that this parasite has great intraespecif variability evidenced by differences in pathology, virulence, antigenic constitution and ability to escape the immune system and this diversity may be related with their adaptation and survival in different hosts. The diversity pathogenic, immunological and morphological inherent to T.cruzi depend of factors that remains undertemined, as region and individual variation of human disease in naturals and experimentals infections. In order to help for enlarge knowledge about the populations of T. cruzi, it is proposed the biological, morphological and molecular study of two strains isolated from Triatoma sordida (SI7) and Triatoma rubrovaria (QMM12) by Rosa et al, 2003, 2008 coleted in states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul, respectively.