Fig. 1. Parasitemia of male Wistar rats i.p infected with 2 × 10⁵ blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi during the evolution of experimental disease. Non-stressed and infected group (NSI) (n = 10) and stressed and infected group (SI) (n = 10) (P < 0.0001).

Fig. 2. Heart histological section (6 μm) from male Wistar rats in the peak of parasitemia, i.p infected with 2 × 10⁵ blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. (A) Non Stressed and Infected group (NSI) presence of few amastigote nests. (B) Stressed and infected group (SI). Presence of discrete fiber disorganization with several amastigote burdens. Hematoxylin–eosin stain (400×).

Fig. 3. Transversal adrenal section (6 μm) from male Wistar rats in the peak of parasitemia, i.p infected with 2 × 10⁵ blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi of stressed and infected group (SI). (A) Enhanced hypertrophy of the cortical area and atrophy of the medulla. Hematoxylin–eosin stain (125×). (B) Presence of amastigote burden in the cortical region. Hematoxylin–eosin stain (1000×).

Body, heart, and adrenal weight from male Wistar rats (P < 0.0001)

Quantitative analysis of parasitism intensity of heart sections from male Wistar rats i.p. infected with 2 × 10⁵ blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of T. cruzi in all days of experiment. (−) Absence of amastigote burdens, (+) less than 12.5% of positivity, (++) 12.5–25% of positivity, (+++) 25–50% of positivity, and (++++) 50–100% of positivity

Mean values of nuclear parameters from karyometric study of heart sections from male Wistar rats from all studied groups on 14 day of experiment

Comparison between NSI and SI groups (NSI, non stressed and infected animals, SI, stressed and infected animals).