Electrocardiographic changes in chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infected Cebus apella monkeys

To evaluate electrocardiographic data of Cebus apella monkeys with Chagas' disease.

53 Cebus apella monkeys (juvenile and adult of both sexes) were used: 35 as a control group and 18 inoculated four-five years ago with 3 different Trypanosoma cruzi strains (CA1, n = 10; Colombian, n = 4; Tulahuen, n = 4).

The normal electrocardiogram (ECG) showed differences with that of man, a) high cardiac rate; b) presence of "pulmonary p" wave without pulmonary pathology. The ECT alterations found between 11 and 58 months after last inoculation were: right bundle branch block; intermittent right bundle branch block; left ventricle overload; repolarization disturbances; left anterior hemiblock; extra systole. These alterations resemble those found in humans, as well as clinical parasitological and immunological alterations. Their incidence and the time at which they appeared, seem to vary according to the route, strain, inoculum and frequency of the inoculation. Three of the monkeys died spontaneously 46, 48 and 52 months after the infections due to the natural evolution of the disease, and six were sacrificed during the follow-up. In both cases histopathological lesions were found, and their intensity was directly related to the time and resembled the human disease.

The Cebus apella, as it reproduces human electrocardiographic and histopathological alterations, a short time after experimental infection, is a suitable model for the study of the different aspects of the physiopathology, immunopathology and therapeutics of the indeterminate and chronic phases of Chagas' disease.