1. Prevalence of anti-R-13 antibodies in human Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
- Author
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Aznar C, Lopez-Bergami P, Brandariz S, Mariette C, Liegeard P, Alves MD, Barreiro EL, Carrasco R, Lafon S, and Kaplan D
- Subjects
- Acute Disease, Animals, Argentina, Base Sequence, Blood Donors, Brazil, Chagas Cardiomyopathy diagnosis, Chagas Cardiomyopathy immunology, Chagas Disease congenital, Chagas Disease epidemiology, Chronic Disease, Diagnosis, Differential, Humans, Immunoglobulin Isotypes immunology, Infant, Newborn, Molecular Sequence Data, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Antibodies, Protozoan biosynthesis, Chagas Disease immunology, Protozoan Proteins, Ribosomal Proteins immunology, Trypanosoma cruzi immunology
- Abstract
Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi develops in three phases: acute, indeterminate or asymptomatic, and chronic phase (with cardiac or digestive manifestations). Moreover, transmission may occur from infected mothers to newborn, the so-called congenital form. In the present study, humoral responses against T. cruzi total extract and against the 13 amino acid peptide named R-13 derived from the parasite ribosomal P protein, previously described as a possible marker of chronic Chagas heart disease, were determined in chagasic patients and in blood bank donors from endemic areas. While in sera from acute phase, only IgM anti-T.cruzi response was observed, both IgM and IgG anti-T. cruzi antibodies were detected in sera from congenitally infected newborns. The percentage of positive response in sera from blood bank donors was relatively high in endemic regions. Antibodies against the R-13 peptide were present in a large proportion of cardiac chagasic patients but were totally lacking in patients with digestive form of Chagas' disease. Furthermore, anti-R-13 positive responses were detected in congenitally infected newborns.
- Published
- 1995
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