The present paper describes cases of natural infection by Trypanosoma evansi in dogs that eventually died in Uruguaiana, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The animals from the rural zone were admitted to the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS) Veterinary Hospital presenting the following clinical signs: apathy, fever and enlargement of the submandibular lymphonodes. Flagellated forms in the blood films were identified as belonging to the species T. evansi. The discovery of these cases raises an allert to the presence of the disease in the area, emphasizing the need for further investigation of the epidemiology of the infection and also the study of prophylathic measures to prevent new cases.
Trypanosoma evansi; dogs; natural infection; Mastigophora; Rio Grande do Sul State; Brazil
