Comparison of Trypanosoma cruzi lineages and levels of parasitic DNA in infected mothers and their newborns.
To better understand the factors involved in maternal-fetal transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, we compared DNA levels-obtained by use of quantitative real-time PCR and parasitic genotypes determined by PCR amplification followed by hybridization-in Bolivian mothers and their congenitally infected newborns. Mothers and their neonates displayed markedly different parasitic DNA levels, as most maternal estimated parasitemias (> 90%) were < 10 parasites/mL, whereas those of 76% of their newborns were > 1,000 parasites/mL. Comparison of T. cruzi TcII sublineages infecting mothers and newborns showed identity, without evidence of mixed infection in mothers or neonates. Analysis of minor variants of TcIId-genotyped parasites using sequence class probes hybridizing with hypervariable domains of kDNA minicircles showed discrepancies in half of mother/newborn pairs.
Virreira
Myrna
M
Laboratoire de Chimie Biologique, Faculté de Médecine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
Truyens
Carine
C
Alonso-Vega
Cristina
C
Brutus
Laurent
L
Jijena
Juan
J
Torrico
Faustino
F
Carlier
Yves
Y
Svoboda
Michal
M
D000818:Animals; D001838:Bolivia; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000151:congenital / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000469:parasitology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D016054:DNA, Protozoan