COMPARACIÓN DE Trypanosoma cruzi DE DIFERENTE PROCEDENCIA EPIDEMIOLÓGICA PARA EL INMUNODIAGNÓSTICO DE LA ENFERMEDAD DE CHAGAS.

In the immunodiagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, antigens obtained from strains or clones are routinely used without taking into consideration their epidemiological origin (human, vector, reservoir), even when there are evidences indicating possible relationships between parasite isolates and clinical manifestations of the disease. The objective of this study was to determine the profile of immunoreactive bands in T. cruzi isolates from different epidemiological sources (human, vector, reservoir) using sera from patients in acute and chronic phase of the disease. We worked with epimastigotes of three different isolates and a commercial antigen. Protein and glycoprotein profiles were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and specific stains. The profiles of immunoreactive bands were studied by immunoblotting with a mixture of sera from acute and chronic chagasic patients. The results showed protein differences between parasites maintained in culture (commercial strain) and those maintained by alternating triatomine/mouse passes, but no differences were found associated to the epidemiological origin of the parasites, which showed the same profile. At the glycoprotein level, only changes in the intensity associated with the maintenance scheme were revealed. Immunoblotting of sera from acute and chronic patients discriminated between parasites with different maintenance schemes, but only acute sera discriminated according to epidemiological origin. This work confirms the existence of immunoreactive bands associated with the epidemiological origin of the isolates that could be useful for immuno-prophylaxis. It is recommended to study if the diagnostic problems of doubtful patients could be associated to the quality of the antigen according to its maintenance scheme and epidemiological origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]