Abstract

BAUTISTA GARFIAS, Carlos Ramón; TORRES ALVAREZ, María del Carmen  and  MARTINEZ GOMEZ, Federico. The inoculation of Lactobacillus casei in NIH mice induces a protective response against Trypanosoma cruzi(Ninoa strain) infection. Vet. Méx [online]. 2008, vol.39, n.2, pp.139-144. ISSN 0301-5092.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus casei administered orally or intraperitoneally to NIH mice, on the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Ninoa strain. Twenty three NIH mice were randomly distributed into three groups, which were treated seven days before the infection with 12 x 10⁴ Trypanosoma cruzi, Ninoa strain. The animals in the control group (n = 7) received sterile saline solution by intraperitoneal (ip) route; those in the Lc-O group (n = 8) were treated with Lactobacillus casei by oral route, and those in the Lc-IP group (n = 8) received L. casei by ip. The mice treated with the lactobacilli showed a reduced number of blood parasites after challenge, as compared with those of the control group (P < 0.01). Similarly, the mice treated with L. casei by ip route showed a significant minor total number of parasites after challenge, than those of the group treated with L. casei by oral route (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the treatment of mice with L. casei, both orally and intraperitoneally, induces a protective response against the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi Ninoa strain.

Keywords : Trypanosoma cruzi; Lactobacillus casei; Adjuvant; Resistance.