The purpose of this study was to evaluate morphologically the tongue of individuals with chronic Chagas disease (CD) in comparison to the non-chagasic ones. Twenty-four protocol cases of autopsies were selected. They were subdivided into CD patients (10 cases) and non-chagasic ones (14 cases). The morphometric analysis was accomplished for the tongue muscle and salivary glands duct lumen area. In three CD patients, perineuritis was found, and two of them showed megaesophagus and megacolon. The intensity of the inflammation in the von Ebner's glands, the tongue muscles, and the salivary glands duct lumen area was significantly higher in the CD patients. We concluded that the CD patients show salivary glands duct dilatation, which probably would have a relation with alterations in the autonomic nervous system. The inflammation found in CD patients is in accordance with that described in comparative studies on the digestive tract and heart. These morphological findings suggest that the histopathological analysis of the tongue associated with other organs, or even in an isolated manner, can add in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of the CD chronic phase.

Inflammation and glandular duct dilatation of the tongue from patients with chronic Chagas disease.

Analizamos morfologica e histometricamente la glandula sublingual de ratones infectados con la cepa RAL del Trypanosoma cruzi, en machos y hembras. Usamos ratones albinos (Mus musculus), variedad Swiss, inoculados con 2x104 tripomastigotes sanguineos de la cepa RAL del T. cruzi. Sacrificamos los animales en el pico de la parasitemia (12 dia) y fijamos las glandulas sublinguales en ALFAC. Los cortes histologicos tenidos con HE fueron evaluados histometricamente (cariometria y estereologia). La parasitemia fue mas elevada en las hembras. Histopatologicamente, los ?acinos? (acini) de los animales infectados eran menores, con escasa secrecion, y conductos estriados menores. Los nucleos de las ?medialunas? eran menores y habia nidos de amastigotes en el citoplasma. Cariometricamente, los nucleos de los acinos, medialunas y conductos estriados eran menores en los ratones infectados. Estereologicamente, los volumenes relativos ocupados por acinos y conductos estriados fueron menores e, inversamente, fue mayor el volumen para el tejido conjuntivo de los machos infectados. Las densidades de superficie de acinos y conductos fueron mayores, y el diametro y el espesor de la pared menores, en este grupo. Por otro lado, la densidad de acinos fue menor, y las de los conductos estriados y tejido conjuntivo, fueron mayores en las hembras infectadas. Las densidades de superficie de acinos y conductos estriados fueron mayores, mientras que el diametro y espesor de la pared de los acinos fueron menores (y las de los conductos estriados mayores), en este grupo. La cepa RAL del T. cruzi causo un cuadro general de atrofia general en la glandula sublingual, con numerosos nidos de parasitos.

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Histometría de la glándula sublingual de ratones (Mus musculus) machos y hembras infectados con la cepa RAL del parásito de Chagas, Trypanosoma cruzi

Une etude histopathologique au cours de l’infection experimentale de Trypanosoma cruzi a ete realisee chez la souris. Dans le parenchyme des glandes salivaires principales, des amastigotes ont ete observes, en particulier, dans la lumiere des tubes stries.

/pdf/histopathological-study-of-the-major-salivary-glands-in-1x7p2w9rk1.pdf

Histopathological study of the major salivary glands in Trypanosoma cruzi infected mice.

Avaliação das glândulas parótidas e submandibulares por ressonância magnética e correlação clínico-laboratorial em pacientes portadores das formas indeterminada e digestiva da doença de Chagas

In the present study we describe the morphological and morphometric alterations induced by two Trypanosoma cruzi strains (strains Y and Bolivia) in the mouse parotid gland during the subpatent period of infection. The acinar cells of animals inoculated 27 d after birth showed reduced eosinophilia, greater chromatin condensation, reduced height, and basally dislocated nucleus. The area occupied by the acini was decreased (999.38 micron 2 to 546.76 micron 2) and the volume of the acinar cells was reduced (116.28 micron 3 to 63.28 micron 3). Reduced height (21.20 micron to 14.28 micron) and decreased nuclear volume (125.28 micron 3 to 77.28 micron 3) occurred in the striated ducts. In the excretory duct there was reduced nuclear volume (121.16 micron 3 to 76.14 micron 3) and decreased height of the epithelial cells (26.05 micron to 14.00 micron). The presence of lymphoplasmocyte infiltrates was also observed. The changes induced by the Bolivia strain were qualitatively similar to those induced by strain Y, but more severe in nature. The present results indicate that infection with T. cruzi induces delayed development of the mouse parotid gland during the subpatent phase.

Morphological and morphometric study of the alterations on young mouse parotid gland with subpatent Chagas' disease.

In the present study we describe the morphological and morphometric alterations induced by Bolivia strain of the Trypanosoma cruzi in the mouse parotid gland during the acute period of infection. The acinar cells exhibit reduced eosinophilia, greater chromatin condensation, reduced height and consequent dislocation of the nucleus towards the basal pole. Then lumen is reduced. The ducts are dilated and lined with low cylindrical epithelium. The septa are wider. An intense lymphoplasmocytic infiltrate is present. Amastigotes was found in glandular acini cells, striated duct cells, inter and intralobular connective tissue, muscle walls of blood vessels, and inside the striated duct lumen.

R D Ribeiro

Papers

Morphological and morphometric study of the alterations on young mouse parotid gland with subpatent Chagas' disease.

[Morphologic and morphometric study of changes in the mouse parotid gland in the acute phase of Chagas' disease].