title: Specific primers design based on the superoxide dismutase b gene for Trypanosoma cruzi as a screening tool: Validation method using strains from Colombia classified according to their discrete typing unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To classify 21 new isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) according to the Discrete Typing Unit (DTU) which they belong to, as well as tune up a new pair of primers designed to detect the parasite in biological samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Strains were isolated, DNA extracted, and classified by using three Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR). Subsequently this DNA was used along with other isolates of various biological samples, for a new PCR using primers designed. Finally, the amplified fragments were sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed the predominance of DTU I in Colombia, as well as the specificity of our primers for detection of T. cruzi, while no band was obtained when other species were used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work reveals the genetic variability of 21 new isolates of T. cruzi in Colombia.Our primers confirmed their specificity for detecting the presence of T. cruzi.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Parasitología Molecular, Departmento de Parasitología; Universidad de Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada (España).
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olmo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Zoonosis y ETV´s, C.I.R. Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Ave. Itzaes #490 x 59, 97000 Mérida, Yucatan (Mexico).
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Escobedo-Orteg
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Parasitología Molecular, Departmento de Parasitología; Universidad de Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada (España).
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Parasitología Molecular, Departmento de Parasitología; Universidad de Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada (España).
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Moreno
authors.affiliation: Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas BCEI - SIU, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mejía-Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: Grupo Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas BCEI - SIU, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Triana
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Parasitología Molecular, Departmento de Parasitología; Universidad de Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, E-18071 Granada (España). Electronic address: cmaris@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marín
keywords: Colombia; Discrete typing unit; Polymerase chain reaction; Superoxide dismutase gene b - based primers; Trypanosoma cruzi