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

摘要

Dogs play a major role in the domestic cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, acting as reservoirs. In a previous work wehave 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 uponchallenge with 100,000 virulent forms of this parasite. The aim of this work was to evaluate the immunogenicity ofthis vaccine in dogs living in a rural area. Domestic dogs, free from T. cruzi infection, received three immunisationswith fixed T. rangeli epimastigotes. Dogs were not challenged with T. cruzi, but they were left in their environment.This immunisation induced antibodies against T. cruzi for more than three years in dogs in their natural habitat,while control dogs remained serologically negative.