Temperature, Mitochondria, and Reye's Syndrome
1 University of Illinois, College of Medicine at Peoria, PO Box 1649, Peoria, IL 61656
To the Editor.
Mitochondrial failure, manifest by changes in mitochondrial enzyme activity1-3 and morphology,4-5 is central to Reye's syndrome (RS).6 Although it has been variously hypothesized that the mitochondrial changes are secondary to an exogenous toxin,7-12 or an intrinsic mitochondrial defect,6 the actual cause remains obscure.
Electron microscopic studies have shown sweelling and loss of cristate in mitochondria of patients with RS. It is interesting that very similar changes occur in Trypanosoma cruzi.13-16
T cruzi is an extracellular/intracellular protozoan parasite which causes Chagas' disease.17




