CHANGES IN PLASMATIC BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS DURING EXPERIMENTAL MURINE PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS

Determinations of plasma cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, total proteins, bilirubin, aspartate transaminases (AST), glucose, iro n and total iron binding capacity were evaluated after 15 and 90 days of intraperitoneal infection with 5 x 10(6) virulent yeasts of Paracoc cidioides brasiliensis Pb 18 isolate in resistant (A/J) and susceptibl e (B10.A) mice. Significant differences between control and infected g roups were seen: an increase of triglycerides and total proteins for b oth strains, a decrease of glucose and HDL-cholesterol in B10.A mice a nd of iron in both strains, while AST, bilirubin and TIBC increased on ly in B10.A mice. While glucose, AST, bilirubin and TIBC were strongly modified in susceptible mice, no differences were seen in the resista nt infected group, thus confirming the usefulness of biochemical param eters as an index of infection severity, as well as of recovery.