Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Walker hounds from Virginia

Am J Vet Res. 1995 Aug;56(8):1037-44.

Abstract

Trypanosomiasis has been reported in dogs from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and South Carolina. We describe the first isolation and characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi from a Walker Hound pup in Virginia that also had postvaccinal distemper. The mother of the pup and 7 of its 8 siblings also were found to be infected with T cruzi, suggesting that the parasite had been transmitted transplacentally or through lactation. Parasitologic, serologic, histologic, and molecular methods were used to establish the diagnosis of T cruzi infection in these dogs. In a serologic survey of 12 dogs (including the sire of the pups) from the area in which the index case occurred, none were found to have antibodies to T cruzi. However, 2 of a further 52 dogs from different areas (to the index case), but in the same county, were seropositive to T cruzi. These findings indicate that canine trypanosomiasis is present in an area of the United States not previously known to be enzootic.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA, Protozoan
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
  • Dog Diseases / parasitology*
  • Dogs
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • Female
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / genetics
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / isolation & purification*
  • Trypanosomiasis / diagnosis
  • Trypanosomiasis / epidemiology
  • Trypanosomiasis / veterinary*
  • Virginia / epidemiology

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan