Characterization of Paraguayan Trypanosoma cruzi strains isolated from acute patients of Chagas disease

Trop Med Parasitol. 1995 Sep;46(3):195-200.

Abstract

Five Paraguayan Trypanosoma cruzi strains, isolated from acute chagasic patients, were studied by their behavior in BALB/c mice, metacyelogenesis, bio-metry of metacyclic forms and lectin agglutination. Early and intermediate parasitemic peaks were observed and the strains did not show high virulence. Metacyclogenesis capacity was not higher than 50% in all cases and there were no considerable differences in the biometry. They all belong to WGA-type strains according to the lectin agglutination assays except for one strain that agglutinated with WGA and PNA lectins. Although previous schizodeme analysis of these strains showed rather homogeneous profiles, biological features were quite heterogeneous.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agglutination Tests
  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / epidemiology
  • Chagas Disease / parasitology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Lectins
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Middle Aged
  • Morphogenesis
  • Paraguay / epidemiology
  • Parasitemia
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / classification
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / cytology
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / immunology
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / physiology*

Substances

  • Lectins