In this research, Trypanosoma evansi infection was tested in rats and mice by oral ingestion of contaminated blood. Groups of ten rats and ten mice were disposed in four experimental groups: A and B (rats), C and D (mice). The groups A and C were contaminated by rat-contaminated blood; B and C groups by mouse-contaminated blood. The blood was given using a probe filled with 0.2ml of contaminated blood with 10(7) trypanosomes ml-1. These animals were maintained at constant temperature and humidity (25°C and 80% UR). Dairy blood smear were done to identify the prepatent period and evolution of parasite in the circulation. In the A and B groups, the pre latency period varied from 19 to 25 days and the period of parasite detection and animals death was an average of 12.7 days. The C and D groups did not present infection by the parasite even when evaluated for 60 days. In conclusion, the rats had oral infection by T. evansi but this protozoan couldn’t contaminate the mice by digestive path.
ingestion; Trypanosoma evansi; mice; rats
