title: [Survival of Trypanosoma cruzi in experimentally contaminated drinks].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, transmitted primarily by triatomine insects. However, in 2005, oral transmission was documented in countries where the disease is endemic for Chagas disease. This trend may also occur in Colombia, a situation that motivated epidemiological alerts and the necessity for exploring the risk level of oral, human-to-human infection by T. cruzi.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Survival times were established for the T. cruzi strain DS using juices involved in the outbreak of Lebrija County (Cesar, Colombia) in 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survival of the T. cruzi strain was evaluated as defined by vitality (forward movement) and viability (growth in isolation medium Novy, McNeal and Nicolle/liver infusion tryptose). This strain was molecularly characterized as TCLA, isolated from a patient associated with an outbreak in Aguachica County (Santander, very near Lebrija). Its survival was tested in tangerine juice, guava, soursop (guanábana), water and sugar water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The T. cruzi strain DS remained vital in mandarin at room temperature for 72 hr, at refrigerated temperatures for 36 hr;, the soursop (guanábana) for 48 hr at room temperature and 384 hr under refrigeration; and guava at both temperatures 24 hr. This strain was viable 2 and 24 hours post-infection in each of the other juices at the two temperature conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DS T. cruzi strain survived in all drinks for more than 24 hours post-infection, with a survival time of 384 hr in the juice of soursop (guanábana) under refrigeration.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Bacteriología y Laboratorio Clínico, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia. proyectot.cruzi.s@gmail.com
authors.forename: Diana Carolina
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Ángela Patricia
authors.initials: ÁP
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: Magda Lorena
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Orduz
authors.forename: Renzo Leonardo
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Prada
authors.forename: Zorayda
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tarazona
mesh_terms: D031041:Annona; D001628:Beverages / Q000469:parasitology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D002957:Citrus; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005506:Food Contamination; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005519:Food Preservation; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D031647:Psidium; D012034:Refrigeration; D013395:Sucrose; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D013395:Sucrose