In order to study the role of bronchial denervation in Chagas' disease, the mechanical properties and the hronchomotricity o£ 6 chronic chagasic and 4 control rabbits were investigated. The whole-body plethysmograph method was used and the measurements were performed before and after intravenous administration of histamine chlorhydrate (0.11 mg/kg body weight). A smaller increase of the functional residual capacity, an almost unchanged peak passive expiratory flow after the histamine administration and a shift to the right of the static transpulmonary pressure/volume curve observed in the chagasic animals indicate an alteration of the bronchial tree, mainly consisting of a decreased bronehoreactivity.
Experimental trypanosomiasis; Rabbit; Changes in pulmonary; Elastic properties