High correlation between Chagas' disease serology and PCR-based detection of Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplast DNA in Bolivian children living in an endemic area.
The detection of Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplast DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification is a potentially powerful tool for the parasitological diagnosis of Chagas' disease. We have applied this technique in a field situation in Bolivia, where 45 children from a primary school were subjected to serological testing, buffy coat analysis and PCR diagnosis. 26 of the 28 serology-positive individuals were also positive by PCR. In addition, two serology-negative children gave a positive result by PCR, including one who was positive in the buffy coat test. These results suggest that PCR detection of T. cruzi DNA in blood can be a very useful complement to serology in Chagas' disease diagnosis in Bolivia.
Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
P
P
Wincker
M F
MF
Bosseno
C
C
Britto
N
N
Yaksic
M A
MA
Cardoso
C M
CM
Morel
S F
SF
Brenière
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D017931:DNA Primers; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast