Developments of Rapid and Convenient New Diagnostic Method for Chagas' Disease.

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The Protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas' disease, consist of a variety of different strains. There are 3 life-cycle forms of T. Cruzi. Epimastigotes multiply in the insect vector ; infectious trypomastigotes enter mammalian host cells and differentiate into amastigotes. Intracellular amastigotes multiply in host cells. The present study was aimed to develop enzyme immunoassay (EIA) methods for T. Cruzi of all three life-cycle forms. 1. EIA for T. Cruzi, trypomastigotes (a new diagnostic method for Chaga's disease) : Two EIA methods were developed : one is specific assay for Tulahuen strain and another one is general detection method for all strains of trypomastigotes. The later method is expected to be a useful diagnostic method for Chagas' disease, though its sensitivity should be improved. 2. The Eia for epimastigotes developed is a general assay for all strains of epimastigotes. The method could be a new diagnostic method for the detection of T. Cruzi infected insect vectors. 3. EIA specific to amastigotes of Tulahuen strain was developed. The method was successfully applied for the first detailed analysis of infection states of various organs of mice infected by T. Cruzi Tulahuen strain. In summary, we developed EIAs for all three life-cycle forms of T. Cruzi. All the methods were expected to be new useful diagnostic methods for various studies of Chagas' disease, some of which have already demonstrated.