Patrick WinckerMarie-France BossenoConstança BrittoNina YaksicMicaela CardosoCarlos Médicis MorelSimone Frédérique Brenià ̈re2026-03-222026-03-22199410.1111/j.1574-6968.1994.tb07318.xhttps://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.1994.tb07318.xhttps://andeanlibrary.org/handle/123456789/46871Citaciones: 77The 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.enKinetoplastSerologyBuffy coatTrypanosoma cruziChagas diseasePolymerase chain reactionBiologyVirologyKinetoplastidaTrypanosomiasisarticle