FIG. 6.

Absence of neurodegeneration in the brains of mice infected with T. cruzi. C57BL/6 mice were infected intranasally with 25,000 T. cruzi parasites for 25 days. Animals were sacrificed and perfused with PBS, and their brains were fixed with formalin. Slides were stained with H&E to detect parasites (arrows) or with Fluoro-Jade C to visualize degenerating neurons. (A) Basal ganglia. Erythrocytes (arrowheads) reacted with the Fluoro-Jade C dye. (Inset) Enlarged view of infected tissues to indicate infected cells and the absence of detectable neurodegeneration. Bar = 50 μm. (B) Large intestine. Magnification, ×600. Note the extensive neurodegeneration in colon myenteric neurons.