1. Clinical Trypanosoma cruzi Disease after Cardiac Transplantation in a Cynomolgus Macaque ( Macaca fascicularis ).
- Author
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Rybak ER, Shipley S, Tatarov I, Zhang T, Sun W, Braileanu G, Burdorf L, Sievert E, Azimzadeh AM, DeTolla LJ, and Pierson RN III
- Subjects
- Anemia complications, Anemia etiology, Animals, Blood Transfusion, Chagas Disease complications, Chagas Disease pathology, Eosinophils immunology, Female, Heart parasitology, Heart Transplantation adverse effects, Immunosuppressive Agents adverse effects, Male, Monkey Diseases pathology, Anemia veterinary, Chagas Disease veterinary, Heart Transplantation veterinary, Macaca fascicularis, Trypanosoma cruzi immunology
- Abstract
A cynomolgus macaque received a heterotopic cardiac allograft as part of a transplant study, with monoclonal antibodies targeted to specific immune costimulation molecules (CD154, CD28) but no traditional immunosuppressive therapy after surgery. Clinical anemia was detected on postoperative day (POD) 35 and had worsened (Hgb, 2.3 g/dL; Hct = 7.3%) by POD 47, despite type-matched whole-blood transfusions. After a total of 4 blood transfusions, hematologic parameters were improved (Hgb, 5.9 g/dL; Hct, 18.7%). On POD 50, a peripheral blood smear revealed trypomastigotes, and qualitative RT-PCR of whole blood identified the organism as Trypanosoma cruzi. Although clinically stable initially, the macaque soon developed sufficient weight loss to necessitate euthanasia on POD 64. The final diagnosis was clinical anemia due to T. cruzi infection. This study represents the first reported case of Chagas disease after heart transplant in a NHP.
- Published
- 2016