Doença de chagas em cães naturalmente infectados em Região do Semiárido Nordestino.

Abstract

This study aimed to highlight the clinical and laboratorial signs of this disease to help characterize this illness in a natural way in the semiarid in the northeastern region. We evaluated 10 positive for Trypanosoma cruzi dogs , that were identified by serological analysis of Immunofluorescence Assay (RIFI) and Enzyme Linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA); molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), direct microscopy and blood culture. The chagasic animals underwent physical examination, electrocardiographic, radiographic, blood pressure, hematology (erythrocyte and leukocyte count) and biochemical exams (urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, PT, albumin, globulin, CK,CK-MB, and cTnl). The physical examination and the blood pressure were presented within the normal range, while in the electrocardiography the FC was observed as normal with a sinus rhythm, with the exception of one animal that presented a sinus tachycardia (168 bat/min). In the ECG of eight animals there was increase of duration of P (47 + 6,5ms) suggestive to atrial enlargement, not confirmed in the radiography. A supraunlevelling was observed in the ST segment in one animal. In the hematological results, thrombocytopenia (187,4x103+137,2x103) and anemia (5,0x106 + 1,39x106/ ul) were noted. The mean hemoglobin (11+ 2,7g/dL) hematocrit (34+ 10,5%) were below normal limits. The white series were within normal variation, with the exception of eosinophilia observed in three animals. Individually, there were two animals which registered leukocytosis, lymphocytosis and neutrophilia. In the biochemical evaluation there was hyperproteinimia (PT=7,2 + 0,9 g/dL), hypoalbuminemia (2,2 + 0,4g/dL), hypergammaglobulinemia (5,1 + 1,0g/dL), CK reached average and individual values above reference values (196 + 171U/L) and there was no alteration on ALT and AST enzymes. The CK-MB isoenzymes and cTnI did not change, except in three animals. We conclude that animals naturally infected in the northeastern semiarid present characteristics related to indeterminate chronic form (asymptomatic animals) and that the identification of the naturally infected dogs with no pathognomonic characteristics of the Chagas disease underscores the importance of this illness in the diagnostic process with the other profiles that show nonspecific or not associated to cardiovascular disease.