Abstract
Summary
The effect of an interferon stimulator, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (In. Cn.), on the course of experimental T. cruzi infection in C3H mice was investigated. In the first experiment In. Cn. was given ip in 5 doses of 50 μg each on alternate days, starting 24 hr before and after T. cruzi inoculation. The In. Cn. enhanced the parasitemia and decreased the mean survival by about 50%. In the second experiment In. Cn. was administered intraperitoneally on alternate days for 3 weeks starting 24 hr after infection. T. cruzi were inoculated either intraperitoneally or subcutaneously. Again the mice receiving In. Cn. and T. cruzi showed increased parasitemia and mortality, irrespective of the route of inoculation of the parasite. The mechanism or mechanisms by which In. Cn. enhanced the severity of T. cruzi infection in these experiments remains unknown. The possibility should be considered that In. Cn. might also potentiate T. cruzi infection in man.
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