by da Silva AC, Kratz JM, Morgado PGM, Freitas-Junior LH, Moraes CB. Journal of Visualized Experiments 2024, 207:e66740. doi: 10.3791/66740
Summary: Drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases is challenging due to comparatively limited funding and highly complex parasite biology and disease pathogenesis. Models that sufficiently reproduce infection and key disease features, while providing rational use of resources, are essential for progressing research under these conditions. The in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) mouse model for Chagas disease has become the standard approach for in vivo drug efficacy studies, however, research groups may struggle to implement it due to a lack of adequate training on handling the equipment and applying quality control procedures. This protocol aims to guide researchers with little or no experience with BLI through planning experiments to data acquisition and analysis, either for Chagas or other infectious disease mouse models..
