Histopathology of the heart conducting system in experimental Chagas disease in mice

Although mice infected with Ttypanosoma cruzi develop a wide variety of electrocardiographic (ECG) alterations, the typical isolated right bundle branch block or its association with the left anterior hemib-lock patterns are not found in this model. This has been explained as related to topographic differences in the anatomy of the murine conducting system. However, there is no conclusive evidence that the murine conducting system differs from the human system. In t & study, the anatomy of the murine conducting system is described, as well as its involve-ment in the chronic stages of experimental infection. 24 three-month-old C3R mice were infected. with 50 bloodstream forms of T. cruzi, Tulahukn strain