Studies on the experimental infection of Zygodontomys lasiurus (Rodentia-Cricetidae) are presented in the current paper. Three strains of T. cruzi were used in the experiments: two, Y and Berenice, were originated from human infection, while the third one was obtained from natural infection in a wild bug Triatoma costalimai. The evolution of the parasitemia was studied and the prepatent and patent periods determined. The tissular tropism and aggressiveness of the strains of T. cruzi were verified through histopathological studies. Results have shown that the parasitemia was always kept at low levels for all the strains. The prepatent period in the infected rodents varied from: 3 to 6 days in the Y strain; 2 to 6 days in the Berenice strain; 6 to 8 in the costalimai strain. The patent period showed the following duration patterns: 14 to 16 days in the Y strain; 26 to 29 in the Berenice strain and 6 to 8 days in the costalimai strain. Tissue damage was predominantly muscular, and the pathological reactions varied from slight to severe.
Trypanossoma cruzi; Zygodontomys lasiurus; Experimental infection