Vaccination of dogs with Trypanosoma rangeli induces antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi in a rural area of Córdoba, Argentina

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
• Main Authors: Beatriz Basso, Vanina Marini, Diego Gauna, Maria Frias
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2016
• Subjects: Chagas disease; vaccinated dogs; Trypanosoma rangeli; Trypanosoma cruzi; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Microbiology; QR1-502; Arctic; Argentina
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-02760160019; https://doaj.org/article/f6ac75b5dc714894a699220ce4d555ea

Dogs play a major role in the domestic cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, acting as reservoirs. In a previous work we have developed a model of vaccination of dogs in captivity with nonpathogenic Trypanosoma rangeli epimastigotes, resulting in the production of protective antibodies against T. cruzi, with dramatic decrease of parasitaemia upon challenge with 100,000 virulent forms of this parasite. The aim of this work was to evaluate the immunogenicity of this vaccine in dogs living in a rural area. Domestic dogs, free from T. cruziinfection, received three immunisations with fixed T. rangeliepimastigotes. Dogs were not challenged with T. cruzi, but they were left in their environment. This immunisation induced antibodies againstT. cruzi for more than three years in dogs in their natural habitat, while control dogs remained serologically negative.