PCR assay for monitoring Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia in childhood after specific chemotherapy
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Data
2003-11
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Resumo
Assessment of cure of Trypanosoma cruzi infection by antibody seroconversion usually involves several years
of follow-up. Parasitological negativity is useless for cure assessment, since even untreated patients mostly
show negative results; conversely, positive tests are of great value because they indicate treatment failure. Here,
PCR was used to assess the rate of specific chemotherapy failure in a well-characterized Brazilian cohort of T.
cruzi-seropositive children, who were enrolled in a field trial of benznidazole (Bz) efficacy. Paired blood samples
from 111 children were taken at baseline and 36 months after treatment with either Bz (n 58) or a placebo
(n 53). DNA extraction and PCR amplification were carried out as previously described, and hybridization
was performed with all PCR products. At the end of follow-up, PCR was positive for 39.6% of the patients in
the Bz group versus 64.2% in the placebo group (P 0.01). Untreated patients had a 1.6-fold-higher chance
of remaining positive by PCR than those in the Bz group (P < 0.05). We conclude that PCR is a useful tool for
revealing therapeutic failure of T. cruzi infection on a short-term basis.
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Parasitemia, Specific chemotherapy, Diagnosis of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi infection
Citação
GALVÃO, Lúcia M. C.; CHIARI, Egler; MACEDO, Andréa M.; LUQUETTI, Alejandro O.; SILVA, Simonne A.; ANDRADE, Ana Lúcia S. S. PCR assay for monitoring Trypanosoma cruzi parasitemia in childhood after specific chemotherapy. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Washington, v. 41, n. 11, p. 5066-5070, Nov. 2003.