THE VALUE OF MOLECULAR STUDIES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF CONGENITAL CHAGAS DISEASE IN NORTHEASTERN ARGENTINA

DIEZ C; MANATTINI S; ZANUTTINI JC; BOTTASSO O; MARCIPAR I

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE

Año: 2008 vol. 78 p. 624 - 627

0002-9637

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool for congenital Chagasdisease is scarcely employed. To assess the usefulness of PCR, a study in neonates wascarried out to compare PCR with standard methods; that is bloodstream parasites bymicrohematocrit, and/or seroconversion by two conventional procedures. Seventeenneonates, born to mothers with positive Trypanosoma cruzi serology were analyzed byserologic, parasitological and molecular procedures, in blood samples taken at birth, andwhen aged 2--4 and 9 months. For a better comparison of sensitivity between bothparasitological methods (microhematocrit and PCR), the number of samples of neonatesstudied at birth extended to 121. In children followed-up until their 9 months of age, a100% correlation between PCR and routine diagnosis was found, with PCR showing itshighest sensitivity from Month 2 onwards. Comparative analysis between bothparasitological methods, on samples taken at birth, showed a higher sensitivity of PCRrespect the microhematocrit (p < 0.0008).