Serial 'deep-sampling' PCR of fragmented DNA reveals the wide range of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> burden among chronically infected hosts and allows accurate monitoring of parasite load following treatment.

ABSTRACT: Infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is generally well-controlled by host immune responses, but appears to be rarely eliminated. The resulting persistent, low-level infection results in cumulative tissue damage with the greatest impact generally in the heart in the form of chagasic cardiomyopathy. The relative success in immune control of T. cruzi infection usually averts acute phase death but has the negative consequence that the low-level presence of T. cruzi in hosts is challenging to detect unequivocally. Thus, it is difficult to identify those who are actively infected and, as well, problematic to gauge the impact of treatment, particularly in the evaluation of the relative efficacy of new drugs. In this study we employ DNA fragmentation and hig

SUBMITTER: White BE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11580963 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature