|
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz
ISSN: 1678-8060 EISSN: 1678-8060
Vol. 96, No. 6, 2001, pp. 823-826
|
Bioline Code: oc01132
Full paper language: English
Document type: Research Article
Document available free of charge
|
|
Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Vol. 96, No. 6, 2001, pp. 823-826
en |
SHORT COMMUNICATION - Parasite Persistence in Treated Chagasic Patients Revealed by Xenodiagnosis and Polymerase Chain Reaction
Constança Britto; Celeste Silveira; Maria Angelica Cardoso; Patricia Marques; Alejandro Luquetti; Vanize Macêdo & Octavio Fernande
Abstract
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was compared with xenodiagnosis performed 20 years after trypanocidal
chemotherapy to investigate parasite clearance. Eighty-five seropositive individuals for Chagas disease
presenting a positive xenodiagnosis were treated with specific drugs; 37 in the acute phase and 48 in the
chronic phase. Fifteen chronic assymptomatic patients received a placebo. Treatment in the acute phase
led to PCR negative results in 73% of the cases, while xenodiagnosis was negative in 86%. In the chronic
phase, PCR was negative in 65% of the patients and 83% led to xenodiagnosis negative results. Regarding
the untreated group (placebo), 73% gave negative results by xenodiagnosis, of which 36% were positive by
PCR. Individuals that were considered seronegative (n=10), presented unequivocally negative results in the
PCR demonstrating the elimination of parasite DNA. Seventeen individuals had their antibodies titers
decreased to such a level that the final results were considered as doubtful and 16 of them presented
negative PCR. The molecular method represents a clear advantage over conventional techniques to
demonstrate persistent infections in Chagas disease patients that underwent chemotherapy.
Keywords
Trypanosoma cruzi, kinetoplast DNA, Chagas disease, PCR, treatment
|
|
© Copyright 2001 Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz Alternative site location: http://memorias.ioc.fiocruz.br
|
|