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Polymerase chain reaction reveals Trypanosoma cruzi infection suspected by serology in cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis patients

Abstract:

The existence of patients suffering a double infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. has been suggested by several authors. Since the conventional serological tests now available for the diagnosis of Chagas’ disease lack specificity due to the cross-reactivity between these two parasites, a serological confirmation of a T. cruzi infection cannot be made unless specific antigens are used. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against a specific T. cruzi antigen, named Ag163B6, and immunoblotting using T. cruzi epimastigotes, are non-conventional serological techniques that could be employed for specific diagnosis of Chagas’ disease. Using these two methods 34 cutaneous or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis patients were classified into two groups: (A) patients with serological evidence of T. cruzi infection, i.e. those who tested positive in at least one assay (18/34 …