The efficacy of photochemical treatment with methylene blue and light for the reduction of Trypanosoma cruzi in infected plasma.
OBJECTIVE
Chagas disease is a transfusion-transmitted infection. This study evaluates the efficacy of a methylene blue (MB) and light system for reducing the viability of Trypanosoma cruzi in plasma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Trypanosoma cruzi strains were spiked in plasma pools. Treatment arms included combined filtration, MB, light and freezing. Post-treatment parasite viability was assayed through in vitro cultures and in vivo inoculation in inducible nitric oxide synthase- and interferon-gamma-receptor-deficient mice.


RESULTS
The filtration, MB and light combined treatment showed a log reduction of > 3.4 in in vitro cultures, and log reductions that ranged from > 4.9 to > 5.8 in deficient mice inoculated with different T. cruzi strains.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment of plasma units with the MB and light system reduces the T. cruzi burden and could be useful in preventing transfusion-transmitted Chagas disease.
Gironés
N
N
Centro de Transfusión de Cruz Roja Española en Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Bueno
J L
JL
Carrión
J
J
Fresno
M
M
Castro
E
E
D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000172:deficiency; D008027:Light; D008751:Methylene Blue; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000172:deficiency; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000628:therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010949:Plasma / Q000469:parasitology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects
D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D008751:Methylene Blue