Multicentre double blind study for evaluation of Trypanosoma cruzi defined antigens as diagnostic reagents

Diagnosis of Chagas disease: what has been achieved? What remains to be done with regard to diagnosis and follow up studies?

“…Even though the majority of these are tested and used in research with satisfactory results, they have not been included in kits for technical and economic reasons (Franco da Silveira et al 2001). Two recombinant antigens, cytoplasmic repetitive antigen (CRA) and flagellar repetitive antigen (FRA) (Lafaille et al 1989), have been deemed useful for diagnostic purposes, according to a multicentre study carried out by the WHO (Almeida et al 1990, Moncayo & Luquetti 1990, Paranhos et al 1990, Krieger et al 1992, Carvalho et al 1993. A kit for diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease called EIE-Recombinante-ChagasBiomanguinhos ® (Rec-ELISA), which uses these antigens in combination (CRA + FRA), has been developed and produced by Biomanguinhos, at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.…”

“…Parasitological diagnosis was further improved with the introduction of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (Moser et al 1989, Sturn et al 1989, Britto et al 1995 and quantitative real time PCR (Cummings & Tarleton 2003, Virreira et al 2006, Piron et al 2007, Duffy et al 2009). Serological diagnosis stopped using the crude antigens that were previously used and began to include a number of purified antigens, such as GP90 kDa, GP72 kDa, GP25 kDa, GP55 kDa and shortly thereafter, recombinant antigens and synthetic peptides, which were evaluated by way of multicentre trials (Moncayo & Luquetti 1990, Levin et al 1991, Umezawa et al 1999.…”

Chagas’ disease diagnosis: a multicentric evaluation of Chagas Stat-Pak, a rapid immunochromatographic assay with recombinant proteins of Trypanosoma cruzi

“…Crossreactivity to T. cruzi antigens has been detected in serum from patients with leishmaniasis (Chiller et al, 1990) or Trypanosoma rangeli infection (Guhl et al, 1987). In order to avoid false positives, the use of recombinant antigens and/or synthetic peptides has been proposed with success (Moncayo and Luquetti, 1990;Carvalho et al, 1993;Pastini et al, 1994;Peralta et al, 1994;Houghton et al, 1999 andUmezawa et al, 1999;Oelemann al., 1999;SaezAlquezar et al, 2000;Rabelo et al, 1999;Franco da Silveira et al, 2001). …”

Serodiagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Using the New Particle Gel Immunoassay - ID-PaGIA Chagas

“…Eleven of them showed sensitivity varying from 82 to 100% and specificity varying from 83 to 100% when tested in a double blind multicentric study (Moncayo & Luquetti 1990).…”