Infection with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum Changes the Morphology and Myenteric Neurons of the Jejunum of Golden Hamsters

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most severe clinical manifestations as it leads to death in 90% untreated cases. The liver, spleen and bone marrows are organs affected; however, Leishmania parasites able reach intestines where gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) located. Under physiological conditions, gastrointestinal tract GALT interact with enteric nervous system (SNE); there no studies exploring modulatory role (Leishmania) infantum intestines. Thus, this work aimed investigate parasitism, stratigraphy, morphological changes myenteric plexus golden hamsters infected L. (L.) infantum. animals were intraperitoneally, parasite load was evaluated spleen, jejunum. stratigraphic evaluation quantitative morphometric analyses NADH-dp NADPH-dp neurons studied at 30-, 60-, 90-days post-infection (DPI). Parasites jejunum increased during progression infection. Stratigraphy showed a significant hypertrophy villi crypts associated intraepithelial lymphocytes that observed animals. In addition, mucosal atrophy reduction AB+ PAS+ goblet cells 60 DPI 90 DPI. These an cell profile from neurons. Furthermore, decrease densities neuron population chronic phase This study suggests alter morphology innervation hamsters.