title: Western blotting method (TESAcruzi) as a supplemental test for confirming the presence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in finger prick blood samples from children aged 0-5 years in Brazil.
abstract: Some Latin American countries have plans for total control and/or eradication of Chagas disease by the main vector (Triatoma infestans) and by blood transfusion. To achieve this, patients with Chagas disease must be identified. A Western blotting test, TESAcruzi, is described as a supplemental test for diagnosis of Chagas disease using samples collected from children <5 years living in different states of Brazil. Blood samples collected by finger prick on filter paper were sent to the test laboratory by a central laboratory to confirm results obtained previously. Ten percent of negative samples, all doubtful and all positive samples were received. Commercial reagents, IgG indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme immunoassay, and a recently introduced TESAcruzi test were used. From 8788 samples, 163 (1.85%) were reactive by IgG-ELISA and 312 (3.55%) by IgG IIF. From these, 77 (0.87%) were reactive in the TESAcruzi test. The results had high clinical value to identify those truly infected.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine - São Paulo, University of São Paulo, Brazil. affrade@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Amanda Farage
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Frade
authors.forename: Alejandro O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Luquetti
authors.forename: Aluísio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prata
authors.forename: Antonio Walter
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods*; D001938:Brazil; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003890:Desiccation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan