Laboratory and field studies on Herpetosoma Trypanosomes from Portugal

Several small mammals were trapped in the Arrabida region (Portugal) and checked for the presence of trypanosomes which were found in 33 of the 197 (11.1 %) Mus spretus and in 9 of the 29 (31 %) Crocidura russula observed. To our knowledge, this was the first time that trypanosomes were isolated from these mammals species. In the liver of one dead C. russula was observed different parasite forms. The studies of infectivity to experimental rodents, analyses of the DNA buoyant density and the isoenzymatic profils, show that trypanosomes isolates from M. spretus were identical to Trypanosoma musculi isolates from Mus musculus. However the isolates from C. russula , although related to the isolates from murine rodents, were clearely separated from these and close to Trypanosoma microti . These findings may allow further studies on the detection of their vectors and on the study of trypanosome reproduction.