DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC CHAGAS-DISEASE USING RECOMBINANT TRYPANOSOMA-CRUZI ANTIGENS

A panel of eight recombinant Trypanosoma cruzi antigens was used to st udy the IgG reactivity of sera proceeding from 151 patients with chron ic Chagas disease. These samples were reactive against T Cruzi epimast igotes by immunofluorescence and enzyme linked assays. A dot blot assa y was performed to evaluate the reactivity against recombinant clones 1, 2, 13, 26, 30, 36, 54 and SAPA (Shed Acute Phase Antigen). Ninety s ix percent of samples reacted against one or more of these antigens. T he most frequently recognized proteins were clones 1, 2, 13, 36 and 26 with 90, 89, 76, 71 and 66 percent of reactivity respectively. Less t han 50% of sera reacted against clones 30, 54 and SAPA. Sera from symp tomatic patients had a significantly higher frequency of reactivity ag ainst clone SAPA than those from asymptomatic patients. This differenc e suggests that a high reactivity against clone SAPA may be related to acute infections and symptoms. No significant relationship could be e stablished between specific recombinant clone recognitions and particu lar clinical forms of the disease (cardiological or digestive). ft is concluded that these recombinant proteins may become a good tool for t he evaluation of the immune response of patients infected with T cruzi .