Rats inoculated with the Ystrain of Trypanosoma cruzi and control rats of the same age and sex were submitted to examination of the gastric mucosa exposed in vivo to an acidified solution of a bile salt, sodium taurocholate (TC). Neuronal counts in the myenteric plexus of the stomach were also performed for several animals in both groups. The scores indicating the severity of the lesions produced by TC were significantly higher (P < 0.002) in chagasic(n - 15) than in control rats (n = 15). The eroded area of the gastric mucosa, expressed as a percentage of the total area of the glandular region of the stomaçh, was significantly larger (P < 0.02) in the chagasic (25.2 ±18.0) than in control (11.0 + 17.4) rats. As to the number of intramural ganglion cells in the stomach, no significant difference (P > 0.10) was observed between chagasic (1683.6 ± 449.7, n = 10) and control (1732.8 ± 401.1, n = 10) animals. These results indicate that in experimental chronic Chagas' disease the gastric mucosa is more sensitive to the damaging action of TC, suggesting reduction of the natural cytoprotection of the stomach. This abnormality does not appear to be due to changes in intrinsic innervation that may imply a reduction of the number of intramural neurons of the stomach.
Chagas' disease; Chagasic gastropathy; Gastric mucosa; Gastric ulcer; Bile salts