Aproximación diagnóstica histopatológica a la cardiomiopatía chagásica crónica en Saguinus leucopus dentro de programas de rehabilitación y reintroducción

Saguinus leucopus is an endemic primate in Colombia considered vulnerable, furthermore with the most restricted geographical distribution between Saguinus spp.. It is known as a natural reservoir of Trypanosoma cruzi since it shares geographic distribution with the vectors Rhodnious prolixus and Triatoma dimidiate. However, this primate does not develop chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy in a natural way. Nevertheless, a histopathological chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy approach diagnosis should be established in S. leucopus in rehabilitation centers and for reintroduction programs, when they have been diagnosed to be infected by Trypanosoma spp. with haemograms. Simultaneously, when death occurs in the same colony and necropsy shows cardiomegaly and splenomegaly. In these cases, heart histopathology could display myocarditis with lymphomonocitary infiltration, limited to myocardium, with negative CD 19 but positive CD3 and CD68. These findings, together with the observation of cardiomyocytes containing rod-forms of 2 microns in diameter, enclosed into a “pod” with homogeneous eosinophilic thickness are characteristic of “pseudocysts”, the typical amastigotes in “Chagasic cardiomyopathy” caused by T. cruzi.