title: Molecular and serological rapid tests as markers of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs in Costa Rica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chagas disease is a zoonotic disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and dogs are one of the main domestic reservoirs.
  
  
  METHODS
  One molecular (OligoC-TesT, Coris Bioconcept) and one serological (T. cruzi-Detect, Inbios) rapid tests were evaluated as infection markers for T. cruzi in 102 dogs living in eight villages endemic for Chagas in Costa Rica.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T. cruzi-Detect performed well as screening tool with 23.3% positive samples. The large number of invalid results (66.7%) observed in samples tested with OligoC-TesT precluded assessing the use of this new method as epidemiological tool to detect T. cruzi infection in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lizundia
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium ; Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic Universitat de Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picado
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Microbiology, Centre for Research in Tropical Diseases (CIET), University of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Marlen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cordero
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deborggraeve
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbina
keywords: Asymptomatic infections; Chagas; Costa Rica; OligoC-TesT; T. cruzi-Detect; Trypanosoma cruzi; diagnostic tools; rapid test