BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) or American trypanosomiasis is caused by a hemoflagellate protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi. This organism has been isolated from more than 100 mammalian species and several insect vectors demonstrating a wide host distribution and low host specificity. METHODS: A 23-year-old male chimpanzee died acutely and a complete necropsy was performed to evaluate gross and microscopic pathologic changes. After observation of trypanosomal amastigotes in the myocardium, PCR and immunohistochemistry was employed to confirm the diagnosis of T. cruzi. RESULTS: Gross findings were consistent with mild congestive heart failure. Microscopic findings included multifocal myocardial necrosis associated with severe lymphocytic to mixed inflammatory infiltrates, edema, and mild chronic interstitial fibrosis. Multifocal intracytoplasmic amastigotes morphologically consistent with T. cruzi were observed in cardiac myofibers. Trypanosoma cruzi was confirmed by PCR and immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first fatal spontaneous case of T. cruzi infection in a chimpanzee.
BACKGROUND:Chagas disease (CD) or American trypanosomiasis is caused by a hemoflagellate protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi. This organism has been isolated from more than 100 mammalian species and several insect vectors demonstrating a wide host distribution and low host specificity. METHODS: A 23-year-old male chimpanzee died acutely and a complete necropsy was performed to evaluate gross and microscopic pathologic changes. After observation of trypanosomal amastigotes in the myocardium, PCR and immunohistochemistry was employed to confirm the diagnosis of T. cruzi. RESULTS: Gross findings were consistent with mild congestive heart failure. Microscopic findings included multifocal myocardial necrosis associated with severe lymphocytic to mixed inflammatory infiltrates, edema, and mild chronic interstitial fibrosis. Multifocal intracytoplasmic amastigotes morphologically consistent with T. cruzi were observed in cardiac myofibers. Trypanosoma cruzi was confirmed by PCR and immunohistochemistry. CONCLUSION: We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first fatal spontaneous case of T. cruzi infection in a chimpanzee.
Authors: Jessica L Grieves; Gene B Hubbard; Jeff T Williams; John L Vandeberg; Edward J Dick; Juan C López-Alvarenga; Natalia E Schlabritz-Loutsevitch Journal: J Med Primatol Date: 2008-07-30 Impact factor: 0.667
Authors: Brittany M Seiler; Edward J Dick; Rodolfo Guardado-Mendoza; John L VandeBerg; Jeff T Williams; James N Mubiru; Gene B Hubbard Journal: J Med Primatol Date: 2008-07-30 Impact factor: 0.667
Authors: A G Schijman; C Vigliano; J Burgos; R Favaloro; S Perrone; R Laguens; M J Levin Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant Date: 2000-11 Impact factor: 10.247
Authors: Miguel Zabalgoitia; Jaime Ventura; Lori Anderson; K D Carey; Jeff T Williams; John L Vandeberg Journal: Am J Trop Med Hyg Date: 2003-02 Impact factor: 2.345
Authors: Shyamesh Kumar; Hannah Laurence; Michael A Owston; R Mark Sharp; Priscilla Williams; Robert E Lanford; Gene B Hubbard; Edward J Dick Journal: J Med Primatol Date: 2017-05-23 Impact factor: 0.667
Authors: Hannah Laurence; Shyamesh Kumar; Michael A Owston; Robert E Lanford; Gene B Hubbard; Edward J Dick Journal: J Med Primatol Date: 2017-04-18 Impact factor: 0.667
Authors: Elana R Rybak; Steve Shipley; Ivan Tatarov; Tianshu Zhang; Wenji Sun; Gheorghe Braileanu; Lars Burdorf; Evelyn Sievert; Agnes M Azimzadeh; Louis J DeTolla; Richard N Pierson Journal: Comp Med Date: 2016-12-01 Impact factor: 0.982
Authors: Patricia L Dorn; Megan E Daigle; Crescent L Combe; Ashley H Tate; Lori Stevens; Kathrine M Phillippi-Falkenstein Journal: J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci Date: 2012-07 Impact factor: 1.232
Authors: Derek L Fong; Annie E Torrence; Keith W Vogel; Diane E Stockinger; Veronica Nelson; Robert D Murnane; Audrey Baldessari; LaRene Kuller; Michael Agy; Hans-Peter Kiem; Charlotte E Hotchkiss Journal: Comp Med Date: 2014-02 Impact factor: 0.982