Quantification of tissue parasite loads in BALB/c mice orally infected with T. cruzi Tulahuén strain.

Male BALB/c mice were infected in the oral cavity (OI) with 1x10⁶ trypomastigotes forms of T. cruzi Tulahuén strain (DTU-TcVI). Organs and tissues were harvested for qPCR analysis to determine the parasite load (parasite equivalent/g) at 60 min and 7 dpi. The qPCR was performed in multiplex, targeting T. cruzi nuclear satellite DNA (Sat DNA) and IAC, as a quality control. Parasite load in the: nasal cavity (n: 60 min = 5; 7 dpi = 4), esophagus (n: 60 min and 7dpi = 5), stomach (n: 60 min and 7 dpi = 5), small intestine (n: 60min and 7 dpi = 5), large intestine (n: 60 min and 7 dpi = 5), mandibular lymph nodes (n: 60 min = 4 and 7 dpi = 5) and heart (n: 60 min = 4 and 7 dpi = 5). Red dots: no parasite detection. Values present mean ± SEM. One tailed Mann-Whitney test was used for group kinetics. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5. * p < 0.05.