The unmet medical need for Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients: Monitoring the disease status

Publication date: Available online 4 December 2019Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of DiseaseAuthor(s): Maan Zrein, Eric ChatelainAbstractPatients infected by Trypanosoma cruzi are typically diagnosed by detecting specific antibodies in serological assays. Persistence of the parasitic infection increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. There are indications that anti-parasitic therapies help to reduce these risks when comparing treated and untreated populations. However, at present, treatment efficacy cannot be properly evaluated on an individual patient basis by available laboratory methods. To monitor parasite clearance, it is essential to change the paradigm of serological methods: analyzing the broad spectrum of antibody diversity is more informative about clinical status than conventional serology tests designed merely for global detection of antibodies.
Source: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Molecular Basis of Disease - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research