RESUMO
This histopathological study analyzes placentas of babies congenitally infected with T. cruzi (M+B+), or babies not infected but born from infected- (M+B-), or non infected-mothers (M-B-). Placentas M+B+ showed lesions of chorionitis, chorioamnionitis and cord edema with lymphocyte infiltration, whereas such lesions were infiltrated only with polymorphonuclear cells in M+B- and M-B- placentas. Parasites were found in M+B+ placentas, in fibroblasts and macrophages of chorion, membranes, chorionic plate, mainly in the area of membrane insertion, as well as in cells of Wharton jelly and myocytes of umbilical cord vessels. These results suggest that the materno-fetal transmission of parasites occurs mainly through the marginal sinus, spreading into the chorionic plate infecting fibroblasts and macrophages so far as to found a fetal vessel, inducing a fetal infection by hematogenous route.