Application of two types of T. cruzi amastigotes of different virulence to ELISA for Chagas disease.

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes derived from fibroblast cultures and from cell-free liquid medium were comparatively evaluated as solid-phase antigens of ELISA for Chagas' disease. Amastigotes were obtained from the high- and low-virulent clones of the Tulahuen strain and from the G-1 strain. They were sonicated and directly applied into wells of a microplate to use insoluble particles as antigens. Fifty-one sera from patients of Chagas' disease including one acute case (with Romana's sign), 10 sera from patients of cutaneous leishmaniasis including one serum of mixed infection with Chagas' disease and 10 sera from patients of toxoplasmosis including three of mixed infection with either Chagas' disease or leishmaniasis were examined. All amastigotes from different sources and from different clones or strains showed considerable correlation with each other. Slightly higher sensitivity was found in amastigotes of high-virulent clones and slightly higher specificity in those from cell-free culture. One acute case was detected as positive by these methods although it was negative by the usual ELISA using epimastigotes

Application of two types of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes of different virulence to ELISA for Chagas' disease. (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/40231554_Application_of_two_types_of_Trypanosoma_cruzi_amastigotes_of_different_virulence_to_ELISA_for_Chagas%27_disease [accessed May 2, 2017].