“…According to Santos et al (1995), it has a higher positivity than routine or natural method. Particularly interesting is the post mortem artificial XD performed in blood collected from corpses during autopsy, with a preliminary 30% positivity in individuals whose serological tests for Chagas disease -performed previously to XD -were positive (Lopes et al 1986); (e) technique for obtaining the substratum to be examined: abdominal compression (Schenone et al 1968a, 1969, 1974, Pereira JB et al 1989, Pereira VL et al 1989, Coura et al 1991; intestine dissection, grinding and homogenization (Perlowagora-Szumlewicz et al 1982, Bronfen et al 1989, Bronfen & Alvarenga 1991, Menezes, 1992; liquefaction of the whole insect, filtration of resultant material through cotton, and centrifugalization (Maekelt, 1964, Rohwedder et al 1970, Cedillos et al 1982a); examination of contents:individual (Cedillos et al 1982a, Pereira JB et al 1989, Bronfen & Alvarenga 1991, Coura et al 1991, Menezes et al 1992) and pooled (Schenone et al 1968a, Bronfen et al 1989); (f) apparently sensitivity of XD can be improved by the so-called xenoculture which consists in sowing the intestinal contents of the triatomine nymphs used in it in a modified LIT medium (Bronfen et al 1989); (g) reading: must be done by well trained and skilled personnel. It is highly advisable to have in mind the eventual finding of T. rangeli and/ or Blastocrithidia triatomae in the intestinal contents of triatomines (Cerisola et al 1971a, Cedillos et al 1982a); (h) interpretation of results: a positive XD in a suspected individual (clinical picture, positive serology and/or epidemiological antecedents) means T. cruzi infection and may confirm a chagasic etiology, but a negative XD no necessarily indicates abscence of the parasite and the need of repeating the exam (Freitas 1952, Castro et...…”