BIOLOGICAL COMPARISON BETWEEN 3 CLONES OF TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI AND THE STRAIN OF ORIGIN (BOLIVIA) WITH REFERENCE TO CLONAL EVOLUTION STUDIES

After isolating three clones of Trypanosoma cruzi (Bolivia), we first characterized them according to parasitaemia, pleomorphism and virulen ce, and then histopathologically. The study's interest lies on the hyp othesis that clonal evolution of T. cruzi has a major impact on biolog ically relevant properties of this parasite. Data obtained from the st udies of parasitaemia, pleomorphism and virulence showed no difference s between the groups studied. As a final point, the histopathological study shows us a muscular tissue tropism both in clones and in their m other strain (Bolivia). In this paper, we conclude that Bolfvia strain and clones isolated from it, pertaining to the same major clone share similar biological properties.