Enhanced resistance to acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in mice treated with an interferon inducer

Gamma interferon suppresses acute and chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection in cyclosporin-treated mice.

To determine if exogenous gamma interferon is effective in immunosuppressed mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, recombinant murine gamma interferon was administered to cyclosporin-treated mice with either acute or chronic T. cruzi infection. Gamma interferon significantly decreased parasitemia and prevented death in acutely infected mice. Parasitemias and mortality of mice treated with both g...

Trypanosoma cruzi Mice to Infection with and Enhanced Resistance in Stat6-Deficient Increased Susceptibility of Stat4-Deficient

Immunotherapy of Trypanosoma cruzi infection with DNA vaccines in mice.

The mechanisms involved in the pathology of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy are still debated, and the controversy has interfered with the development of new treatments and vaccines. Because of the potential of DNA vaccines for immunotherapy of chronic and infectious diseases, we tested if DNA vaccines could control an ongoing Trypanosoma cruzi infection. BALB/c mice were infected with a lethal...

Resistance to Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice Treated with Silk Protein by Enhanced Immune Responses

This study investigated whether elevated host immune capacity can inhibit T. gondii infection. For this purpose, we used silk protein extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons as a natural supplement to augment immune capacity. After silk protein administration to BALB/c mice for 6 weeks, ratios of T lymphocytes (CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells) and splenocyte proliferative capacities in response to Con A o...

Parasitic Loads in Tissues of Mice Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and Treated with AmBisome

BACKGROUND Chagas disease is one of the most important public health problems and a leading cause of cardiac failure in Latin America. The currently available drugs to treat T. cruzi infection (benznidazole and nifurtimox) are effective in humans when administered during months. AmBisome (liposomal amphotericin B), already shown efficient after administration for some days in human and experime...