PCR AND SERO-DIAGNOSIS OF CHRONIC CHAGAS-DISEASE - BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES

In the acute phase of Chagas' disease, when the parasitemia is high, d iagnosis can be easily made using conventional parasitological methods . During the chronic phase, due to the low parasitemia, diagnosis is p erformed mainly by immunological methods. Conventional serological tec hniques are limited by cross-reactivity with other parasitic diseases, non-standardization of reagents, and the diversity of technical proce dures. Methods are being developed to improve the sensitivity and spec ificity of diagnosis using molecular approaches. PCR-based detection s ystems and the use of recombinant antigens in ELISA are the most promi sing.