Zinc and pregnancy: Marked changes on the immune response following zinc therapy for pregnant females challenged with Trypanosoma cruzi

Background & aims: The occurrence of infectious disease processes during pregnancy has significant effects on maternal health and can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential role of zinc treatment during Trypanosoma cruzi infection in pregnant animals. Methods: Female Wistar rats weighing 180-200 g were used in all experiments. Production of nitric oxide, peritoneal macrophages counts, and concentrations of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha were measured, and the potential protective effects of zinc on fetal development were assessed at 14-day post-infection. Results: Nitric oxide concentrations were higher in pregnant zinc-treated animals than in their untreated counterparts, despite similar levels of the macrophages, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Zinc therapy was associated with a significant reduction in parasitemia and cardiac parasite burden. Higher placental and birth weights were observed in animals given prenatal zinc supplementation compared to untreated animals. Conclusions: These data confirm the critical importance of adequate zinc intake during the peri-conceptional period and indicate that zinc has an effective role in preventing adverse outcomes of pregnancy and reducing the risk of common infections such as Chagas' disease. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.