Trypanosoma cruzi: properties of a clone isolated from CL strain

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Abstract
BALB/c mice injected i.p. with 2×106 metacyclic forms of CL-14, a clone isolated from the CL strain ofTrypanosoma cruzi, did not show parasitemia as evaluated by direct blood microscopy examination, hemoculture and xenodiagnosis. Moreover, new-born mice (1–2 days old) injected with culture-or insect-derived CL-14 trypomastigotes also displayed negative parasitemia. No mortality was observed in either group of animals. However, despite this apparent non-infectivity, mice injected with clone 14 developed high resistance against a lethal challenge with virulent trypomastigotes. All challenged mice survived and the parasitemia was negative. These results indicate that clone 14 is a very good antigen for the study of acquired immunity inT. cruzi infection and, therefore, a potential candidate for the development of a vaccine against this parasite.