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Golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) as an experimental model for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2013

ADRIANO GOMES-SILVA
Affiliation:
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
JOANNA GARDEL VALVERDE
Affiliation:
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
RAQUEL PERALVA RIBEIRO-ROMÃO
Affiliation:
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ROSA MARIA PLÁCIDO-PEREIRA
Affiliation:
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
ALDA MARIA DA-CRUZ*
Affiliation:
Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*
*Corresponding author: Av. Brasil 4365, Pavilhão Leônidas Deane 4° andar, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro-RJ, ZIP 21040-360, Brazil. Tel: +55 21 3865 8147. Fax: +55 21 2290 0479. E-mail: alda@ioc.fiocruz.br

Summary

The lack of an adequate model for Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection is a limiting factor for studying American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL). The golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is a promising model because besides being highly susceptible to dermotropic Leishmania infection, the lesions are very similar to cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in humans. However, different Leishmania isolates or species and/or protocols have resulted in different outcomes, whereas no study has evaluated the reproducibility of L. braziliensis infection in this model. The natural history of L. braziliensis infection in 34 hamsters was evaluated by using a single parasite isolate in 8 independent experiments under similar experimental conditions. Clinical, histological and immunological analyses were performed. The hamsters presented skin ulcers similar to those observed in ATL. The intra-experiment lesion increment tended to show an intermediary variance. Histological analysis of infected skins showed granulomatous reaction, scarce amastigotes, and Schaumann's bodies. Blood lymphocytes proliferated in response to leishmanial antigens. The severity of the infection was positively correlated to spleen weight, and the titres of anti-Leishmania IgG antibodies. Our findings indicate that the hamster is an appropriate model for immunopathogenesis studies of CL caused by L. braziliensis, supporting its use in clinical, vaccine and chemotherapy experimental protocols.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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