Table 1.
Study design for T. cruzi experimentally infected dogs immunized with DNA vaccine containing the genes encoding a trans-sialidase protein (pBCSP) or an amastigote-specific glycoprotein (pBCSSP4).
| Group | Group Description and n | Vaccine | Postinfection (PI) or Postvaccination (PV) Time for the Echocardiographic Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Nonimmunized/Noninfected (healthy control) n = 5 |
None | NA |
| B | Chronically infected control n = 9 |
None | 12 months PI |
| C | Each plasmids-immunized/Noninfected n = 6 |
pBCSP (n = 2) pBCSSP4 (n = 2) pBK-CMV (n = 2) | 12.5 months PV |
| D | Immunized with TcSP gene/Infected n = 9 |
pBCSP | 12 months PI |
| E | Immunized with TcSSP4/Infected n = 9 |
pBCSSP4 | 12 months PI |
| F | Immunized with cloning vector/Infected n = 4 |
pBK-CMV | 12 months PI |
| G | Mock-immunized with saline solution/Infected n = 4 |
Saline Solution | 12 months PI |
NA = Not applicable, because they were neither infected nor vaccinated; pBCSP = plasmid carrying TcSP gene; pBCSSP4 = plasmid carrying TcSSP4 gene; pBK-CMV= empty cloning vector.