Immunization Against Experimental Chagas'' Disease by Using Culture Forms of Trypanosoma cruzi Killed with a Solution of Sodium Perchlorate

Protection against infection with virulent blood (trypomastigote) forms of Trypanosoma cruzi was accomplished in mice by immunization with culture (mainly epimastigote) forms killed by treatment with sodium perchlorate. Sodium chloride, used instead of sodium perchlorate, with all other conditions kept the same, failed to kill all the organisms, indicating that the effects of the perchlorate anion were not simply ionic or osmotic, suggesting that they might be chaotropic. A single dose of the immunogen, without adjuvants, was sufficient to significantly protect against the infection. Protection was achieved by either intraperitoneal, intramuscular, or subcutaneous immunization, though the first two routes appeared to be more effective. After challenge, parasitemias were negative in 25, 29, and 17% of the animals immunized intraperitoneally, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously, respectively.