Acute Chagas' cardiopathy in a polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in Guadalajara, Mexico

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: J. Jaime-Andrade G., David Avila-Figueroa, Felipe J. Lozano-Kasten, René J. Hernández-Gutiérrez, Ezequiel Magallón-Gastélum, Marina J. Kasten-Monges, Edison Reis Lopes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 1997
• Subjects: Cardite chagásica; Ursus maritimus; American trypanosomiasis; Chagas' carditis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Aguda; polar bear
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86821997000400011; https://doaj.org/article/964a288c0bc743f7b908f0d6540b3b67

We report a 24 year old female polar bear (Ursus maritimus) who contracted Chagas' infection at the Guadalajara Zoo, in Jalisco, México, and died of acute Chagas' carditis 15 days later. The histopathological findings are described, as well as the presence of triatomines (Triatoma longipennis Usinger) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi collected within 5 meters from the place where the animal lived in the city of Guadalajara. Relatamos o caso de uma ursa polar (Ursus maritimus) de 24 anos de idade, que contraiu a infecção chagásica no Zoológico de Guadalajara, em Jalisco, no México, e morreu de cardite chagásica aguda 15 dias após o início da sintomatologia. Os achados histopatológicos são descritos, bem como a presença de triatomíneos (Triatoma longipennis Usinger) infectados por Trypanosoma cruzi coletados a 5 metros do local onde o animal vivia, na cidade de Guadalajara.