Trypanosoma cruzi: Histochemical Characterization of Parasitized Skeletal Muscle Fibers1

Abstract
C57Bl/6 mice were infected with Brazil strain T. cruzi trypomastigotes. The leg muscles of the mice were serial-sectioned with a cryostat, and individual fibers were classified histochemically as type I or type II on the basis of succinic dehydrogenase or ATPase activity. Although markedly more type II fibers were present in the leg muscles, the percentage of infected type I fibers was nearly 5-fold higher than type II. This is the 1st demonstration of a preferential in vivo distribution of T. cruzi in muscle fibers based upon muscle type.

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