Biological, biochemical and molecular features of Trypanosoma cruzi strains isolated from patients infected through oral transmission during a 2005 outbreak in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil: its correspondence with the new T. cruzi Taxonomy Consensus (2009)

Abstract

We examined strains of Trypanosoma cruzi isolated from patients with acute Chagas disease that had been acquired by oral transmission in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil (2005) and two isolates that had been obtained from a marsupial (Didelphis aurita) and a vector (Triatoma tibiamaculata). These strains were characterised through their biological behaviour and isoenzymic profiles and genotyped according to the new Taxonomy Consensus (2009) based on the discrete typing unities, that is, T. cruzi genotypes I-VI. All strains exhibited the biological behaviour of biodeme type II. In six isolates, late peaks of parasitaemia, beyond the 20th day, suggested a double infection with biodemes II + III. Isoenzymes revealed Z2 or mixed Z1 and Z2 profiles. Genotyping was performed using three polymorphic genes (cytochrome oxidase II, spliced leader intergenic region and 24Sα rRNA) and the restriction fragment length polymorphism of the kDNA minicircles. Based on these markers, all but four isolates were characterised as T. cruzi II genotypes. Four mixed populations were identified: SC90, SC93 and SC97 (T. cruzi I + T. cruzi II) and SC95 (T. cruzi I + T. cruzi VI). Comparison of the results obtained by different methods was essential for the correct identification of the mixed populations and major lineages involved indicating that characterisation by different methods can provide new insights into the relationship between phenotypic and genotypic aspects of parasite behaviour.

Performance of TcI/TcVI/TcII Chagas-Flow ATE-IgG2a for universal and genotype-specific serodiagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection

“…cruzi has been related to biological characteristics (infectivity, parasitemia, tissue tropism, mortality during the acute phase of infection [13,26–30] and susceptibility/resistance to drugs [5,8,31–34] in murine model and infectivity, replication and differentiation in vector o) [35], epidemiological characteristics [4,36,37] and clinical manifestations [38–40] of Chagas disease. Therefore, the knowledge of parasite genetics may offer insights about the biology of the parasite, patient’s treatment outcome, clinical aspects of human disease, as well as how to establish epidemiological surveillance and control of Chagas disease [41, 42].…”

“…Overall, hosts infected with TcI/Colombiana and TcII/Y strains displayed opposite patterns of reactivity with “anti-TcI TRYPO” and “anti-TcII AMA” and hosts infected with TcVI/CL strain showed a typical interweaved distribution pattern (Figs 4 and S1). This phenomenon may reflect the phylogenetic origin of DTUs [4] where TcI and TcII are ancestral DTUs presenting polar characteristics [5,27,28,30,71–73], whereas the TcVI has a hybrid origin, showing intermediate characteristics of both polar genotypes [73,74]. …”

Molecular Epidemiology of Human Oral Chagas Disease Outbreaks in Colombia

“…In Brazil, there are reports of 14 isolates typed as TcI and TcIV in the Amazonian region [18]. In Santa Catarina, Brazil, a full study using several markers allowed the authors to find TcI, TcII, TcV and mixed infections of the isolates obtained from an oral outbreak in 2005 [19]. In Bolivia, a recent outbreak allowed the authors to find TcI and TcIV [34].…”

“…In studies developed by Marcili (2009), T. cruzi genotypes associated with food consumption were characterized from wild primates, triatomines and humans in the Brazilian Amazon; all isolates were genotyped as TcI and TcIV [18]. Andrade (2011) examined T. cruzi strains isolated from oral Chagas disease patients in Santa Catarina, Brazil and reported the presence of DTU's mixtures (TcI, TcII, TcV) [19]. Despite these efforts, there is not an evidence-based link between the severe clinical features of food-borne Chagas disease and T. cruzi genotypes [20]–[22].…”

Acute chagas outbreaks: molecular and biological features of Trypanosoma cruzi isolates, and clinical aspects of acute cases in Santander, Colombia

“…Most of them are reported in the Amazonian region and Southern Brazil, Venezuela, and French Guiana [24–30]. Although, in most of the acute cases TcI parasites were found; TcII, TcIII, TcIV and TcV have also been documented [31–34]. In Colombia, the first acute CD report was in the Norte de Santander Department, in 1992 [35].…”