The course of infection of trypanosoma cruzi in gamma-irradiated rats.

The course of infection of both blood and tissues by the Sonya strain of Trypanosoma cruzi in gamma-irradiated rats has been investigated. The blood infection was dimorphic; slender and broad forms were present throughout, though broad forms predominated at high parasitaemias. Both total blood parasitaemia and numbers of slender forms increased progressively in a series of waves with a periodicity of about four days. The rate of increase in the numbers of intracellular parasites corresponded with this, suggesting that the intracellular development cycle is also about four days. Tissue infection appeared to originate at the site of subcutaneous infection but subsequently occurred in the heart, and then later in the muscle of the hind limbs and alimentary tract.