Mechanisms of natural resistance to trypanosomal infection. Role of complement in avian resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

The natural resistance of chickens to Trypanosoma curzi infection and the capacity of their sera to lyse blood (trypomastigote) forms of the parasite in vitro were found to be complement-dependent phenomena. Parasites given intravenously to decomplemented chickens were detectable in their bloodstream for at least 24 h post-infection, whereas in untreated animals they became undetectable after 1 min (and destroyed flagellates were observed). One millilitre of serum had the capacity to lyse as many as 10-30 X 10(6) organisms. The lytic activity of serum in vitro was not impaired in chickens that had been immunosuppressed by four different procedures and was present in the absence of antibodies. In vitro lysis of T. cruzi by either normal or antibody-free chicken sera occurred in the absence of calcium ions but required magnesium ions, indicating that complement was activated via the alternative pathway. Administration of normal chicken serum to mice infected with T. cruzi provoked a marked decrease in their parasitaemias.