Browsing by Autor "Micaela Cardoso"

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    High correlation between Chagas' disease serology and PCR-based detection of<i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>kinetoplast DNA in Bolivian children living in an endemic area
    (Oxford University Press, 1994) Patrick Wincker; Marie-France Bosseno; Constança Britto; Nina Yaksic; Micaela Cardoso; Carlos Médicis Morel; Simone Frédérique Brenià ̈re
    The detection of Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplast DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification is a potentially powerful tool for the parasitological diagnosis of Chagas' disease. We have applied this technique in a field situation in Bolivia, where 45 children from a primary school were subjected to serological testing, buffy coat analysis and PCR diagnosis. 26 of the 28 serology-positive individuals were also positive by PCR. In addition, two serology-negative children gave a positive result by PCR, including one who was positive in the buffy coat test. These results suggest that PCR detection of T. cruzi DNA in blood can be a very useful complement to serology in Chagas' disease diagnosis in Bolivia.
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    PCR-based diagnosis for Chagas' disease in Bolivian children living in an active transmission area: comparison with conventional serological and parasitological diagnosis
    (Cambridge University Press, 1997) Patrick Wincker; Jenny Telleria; M. F. Bosseno; Micaela Cardoso; Patrícia Marques; Nina Yaksic; Christine Aznar; P. LIEGEARD; Mireille Hontebeyrie; François Noireau
    A large field study has been performed in the Cochabamba region of Bolivia with the aim of comparing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with other diagnostic methods for Chagas' disease. The amplification of Trypanosoma cruzi-specific kinetoplast DNA sequences in blood samples was compared with classical serological methods, specific IgM detection and direct parasite visualization for 268 school children in a single village where Chagas' disease transmission is active. Of 113 children positive by classical serology or buffy coat examination, 106 were detected by PCR (sensitivity: 93.8%). We did not observe any significant difference of PCR sensitivity between initial (IgM and/or buffy coat positive) and indeterminate stage (only IgG positive) patients. Among the remaining 155 children unconfirmed as chagasic (who were either only IgM positive, IgG-, IgM-, and buffy coat-negative) only 1 case was PCR positive. This case may be due to DNA contamination, or to a very recent infection not detected otherwise, or to specific immune depression. These results show that PCR is a very sensitive parasitological test for Chagas' disease in active transmission regions. The future follow-up of the possibly infected patients who were only IgM-positive should clarify the interest of PCR and IgM tests in the detection of starting infections.