Df. Hoft et al., GASTRIC INVASION BY TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI AND INDUCTION OF PROTECTIVE MUCOSAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES, Infection and immunity, 64(9), 1996, pp. 3800-3810
Trypanosoma cruzi is an intracellular parasite transmitted from a redu
viid insect vector to humans by exposure of mucosal surfaces to infect
ed insect excreta. We have used an owl challenge murine model that mim
ics vector-borne transmission to study T. cruzi mucosal infection, Alt
hough gastric secretions have microbicidal activity against most infec
tious pathogens, we demonstrate that T, cruzi can invade and replicate
in the gastric mucosal epithelium. In addition, gastric mucosal invas
ion appears to be the unique portal of entry for systemic T. cruzi inf
ection after oral challenge, The mucosal immune responses stimulated b
y T, cruzi gastric infection are protective against a secondary mucosa
l parasite challenge, This protective mucosal immunity is associated w
ith increased numbers of lymphocytes that secrete parasite-specific im
munoglobulin A, Our results document the first example of systemic mic
robial invasion through gastric mucose and suggest the feasibility of
a mucosal vaccine designed to prevent infection with this important hu
man pathogen.