[Highly homogeneous Trypanosoma cruzi populations in a low endemic region for Chagas disease: importance in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease in Chile].
Trypanosoma cruzi from 23 chronic and acute cases of Chagas disease were isolated and further characterized. They displayed a remarkable similarity, after typification by schizodeme analysis using restriction endonuclease Eco Ri. All T cruzi isolates belonged to the isoenzymatic Zymodeme 2 Bol. These findings were corroborated analyzing cases from families with demonstrated congenital transmission. The acute cases were newborns or offspring of infected mothers or patients with AIDS. All T cruzi strains isolated in these cases were very similar with almost identical schizodemes. Patients with AIDS had severe clinical manifestations whereas children with congenital infections had a great variety of clinical symptoms. In chronic cases, little clinical differences were observed for the different T cruzi strains. It is concluded that there is a low correlation between the T cruzi strain and the clinical prognosis of Chagas disease, being of greater relevance the host's genetic background and immune response.
Muñoz
S
S
Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, SAREC (Swedish Agency for Research and Cooperation), DTI Universidad de Chile.
Lorca
M
M
Muñoz
P
P
Solari
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast
Poblaciones de Trypanosoma cruzi altamente homogéneas en una región de baja endemia chagásica: relevancia en la patogenia de la enfermedad de Chagas en Chile.