DNA damage in BALB/c mice infected with Lacazia loboi and its relation to nutritional status

AbstractBackground Jorge Lobo’s disease, also known as lacaziosis, is a cutaneous-subcutaneous mycosis with chronic evolution. It is caused by the fungus Lacazia loboi. Herein we report a study that relates the genotoxicity caused by L. loboi in isogenic mice with nutritional status, through a normal or restricted diet.Methods DNA damage was assessed in the peripheral blood by the comet assay (tail intensity).Results The results for leukocytes showed increases in the mean tail intensity in mice under dietary restriction, in infected mice under dietary restriction and in infected mice ingesting a normal diet.Conclusion These results indicate that dietary restriction and L. loboi infection may increase DNA damage levels in mice, as detected by the comet assay.