Characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi Populations by Zymodemes: Correlation with Clinical Picture

Chagas' heart disease

“…The most commonly used tests are based upon complement fixation, immunofluorescence, or ELISA assays, that, carefully standardized, achieve sensitivity and specificity rates higher than 90 percent. Chagas' disease is diagnosed with greater sensitivity by the detection of T. cruzi specific sequences of DNA, using molecular biology approaches [58][59][60] . These later techniques also have the potential for improving the diagnostic and prognostic characterization of the disease, on the basis of parasite strain identification 60 .…”

Electrocardiographic findings in Mexican chagasic subjects living in high and low endemic regions of Trypanosoma cruzi infection

“…It has been suggested that several of the role playing factors are: genetic host background, parasite strain, and reinfection (Mendoza et al 1995, Zavála-Castro et al 1995, Montamant et al 1996, Fernández-Mestre et al 1998, Bustamante et al 2002.…”

Chagas disease, from discovery to control - and beyond: history, myths and lessons to take home

“…Another yet unsolved problem in clinical studies on Chagas disease is the question of possible relationships between the different clinical forms, their morbidity and the different parasite strains (Montamat et al 1996). The recent demonstration that there are two major phylogenetic lineages of T. cruzi (Souto et al 1996) will surely stimulate new approaches to this old question (Brener 1973(Brener , 1977.…”