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Dumonteil E, Desale H, Tu W, Hernandez-Cuevas N, Shroyer M, Goff K, Marx PA, Herrera C. Intra-host Trypanosoma cruzi strain dynamics shape disease progression: the missing link in Chagas disease pathogenesis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0423622. [PMID: 37668388 PMCID: PMC10581044 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04236-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy develops years after infection in 20-40% of patients, but disease progression is poorly understood. Here, we assessed Trypanosoma cruzi parasite dynamics and pathogenesis over a 2.5-year period in naturally infected rhesus macaques. Individuals with better control of parasitemia were infected with a greater diversity of parasite strains compared to those with increasing parasitemia over time. Also, the in vivo parasite multiplication rate decreased with increasing parasite diversity, suggesting competition among strains or a stronger immune response in multiple infections. Significant differences in electrocardiographic (ECG) profiles were observed in Chagasic macaques compared to uninfected controls, suggesting early conduction defects, and changes in ECG patterns over time were observed only in macaques with increasing parasitemia and lower parasite diversity. Disease progression was also associated with plasma fibronectin degradation, which may serve as a biomarker. These data provide a novel framework for the understanding of Chagas disease pathogenesis, with parasite diversity shaping disease progression.IMPORTANCEChagas disease progression remains poorly understood, and patients at increased risk of developing severe cardiac disease cannot be distinguished from those who may remain asymptomatic. Monitoring of Trypanosoma cruzi strain dynamics and pathogenesis over 2-3 years in naturally infected macaques shows that increasing parasite diversity in hosts is detrimental to parasite multiplication and Chagasic cardiomyopathy disease progression. This provides a novel framework for the understanding of Chagas disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Hans Desale
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Weihong Tu
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Nora Hernandez-Cuevas
- Laboratorio de Parasitologia, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales “Dr. Hideyo Noguchi”, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Monica Shroyer
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Kelly Goff
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Preston A. Marx
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
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Lascano F, García Bournissen F, Altcheh J. Review of pharmacological options for the treatment of Chagas disease. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 88:383-402. [PMID: 33314266 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a worldwide problem, with over 8 million people infected in both rural and urban areas. CD was first described over a century ago, but only two drugs are currently available for CD treatment: benznidazole (BZN) and nifurtimox (NF). Treating CD-infected patients, especially children and women of reproductive age, is vital in order to prevent long-term sequelae, such as heart and gastrointestinal dysfunction, but this aim is still far from being accomplished. Currently, the strongest data to support benefit-risk considerations come from trials in children. Treatment response biomarkers need further development as serology is being questioned as the best method to assess treatment response. This article is a narrative review on the pharmacology of drugs for CD, particularly BZN and NF. Data on drug biopharmaceutical characteristics, safety and efficacy of both drugs are summarized from a clinical perspective. Current data on alternative compounds under evaluation for CD treatment, and new possible treatment response biomarkers are also discussed. Early diagnosis and treatment of CD, especially in paediatric patients, is vital for an effective and safe use of the available drugs (i.e. BZN and NF). New biomarkers for CD are urgently needed for the diagnosis and evaluation of treatment efficacy, and to guide efforts from academia and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the process of new drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Lascano
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Gobierno de la Ciudad de la Nación Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Servicio de Parasitología y Chagas, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García Bournissen
- Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Canada
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Gobierno de la Ciudad de la Nación Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Servicio de Parasitología y Chagas, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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3
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Lascano F, Altcheh J. An evaluation of nifurtimox for Chagas disease in children. Expert Opin Orphan Drugs 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/21678707.2021.1933431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Lascano
- Servicio de Parasitologia-Chagas, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutierrez, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion en Patologias Pediatricas (IMIPP) CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Servicio de Parasitologia-Chagas, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutierrez, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigacion en Patologias Pediatricas (IMIPP) CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Vásquez Velásquez C, Russomando G, Espínola EE, Sanchez Z, Mochizuki K, Roca Y, Revollo J, Guzman A, Quiroga B, Rios Morgan S, Vargas Ortiz R, Zambrana Ortega A, Espinoza E, Nishizawa JE, Kamel MG, Kikuchi M, Mizukami S, Na-Bangchang K, Tien Huy N, Hirayama K. IL-17A, a possible biomarker for the evaluation of treatment response in Trypanosoma cruzi infected children: A 12-months follow-up study in Bolivia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007715. [PMID: 31553732 PMCID: PMC6760767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The National Program for Chagas disease was implemented in Bolivia in 2006, and it greatly decreased the number of infections through vector control. Subsequently, a treatment regimen of benznidazole (BNZ) was started in seropositive school-age children living in certified vector control areas. Methods and findings We conducted a 12-month follow-up study and seven blood samples were taken during and after the treatment. Serology, conventional diagnostic PCR (cPCR) and quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR) were performed. Plasma Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines levels were also determined. Approximately 73 of 103 seropositive children complied with BNZ, with three interruptions due to side effects. To evaluate each individual’s treatment efficacy, the cPCR and qPCR values during the final 6 months of the follow-up period were observed. Among 57 children who completed follow-up, 6 individuals (11%) showed both cPCR(+) and qPCR(+) (non reactive), 24 (42%) cPCR(-) but qPCR(+) (ambiguous) and 27 (47%) cPCR(-) and qPCR(-) (reactive). Within 14 Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokines, IL-17A showed significantly higher levels in seropositive children before the treatment compared to age-matched seronegative children and significantly decreased to the normal level one-year after. Moreover, throughout the follow-up study, IL-17A levels were positively co-related to parasite counts detected by qPCR. At the 12 months’ time point, IL-17A levels of non-reactive subjects were significantly higher than either those of reactive or ambiguous subjects suggesting that IL-17A might be useful to determine the reactivity to BNZ treatment. Conclusions Plasma levels of IL-17A might be a bio-marker for detecting persistent infection of T. cruzi and its chronic inflammation. Chagas is a zoonosis endemic in 21 Latin American countries caused by T. cruzi. Results of common Benznidazole (BNZ) treatment vary by infection phase, treatment period, and dosage. In Bolivia, the national Chagas program controls vector distribution in different regions of the country. The program began BNZ treatment in school-age children from infestation-free endemic areas. Lack of information regarding follow-up and efficacy in children with recent chronic Chagas makes treatment failure difficult to detect in endemic areas. The present study aimed to estimate parasite DNA in blood through quantitative real-time and conventional PCR (qPCR, cPCR), and observe Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokine profiling during a 12-month follow-up in Bolivia school children. Results showed persistence of low, substantial amounts of T. cruzi DNA, and significantly higher IL-17A levels in the seropositive group before treatment than the seronegative group, which decreased to seronegative levels one year later. Of 57 treated, 6 showed cPCR positive results 6 months after treatment and were diagnosed as definitely non-reactive (10.5%). The six non-reactive individuals showed significantly higher levels of IL-17A at 12 months than residual reactive (cPCR negative, qPCR negative) and ambiguously reactive (cPCR negative, qPCR positive) groups, indicating that IL-17A might be a biomarker for non-reactive to BNZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Vásquez Velásquez
- Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Graciela Russomando
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Emilio E. Espínola
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Zunilda Sanchez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Kota Mochizuki
- Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yelin Roca
- Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Tropicales (CENETROP), Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Jimmy Revollo
- Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Tropicales (CENETROP), Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Angelica Guzman
- Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Tropicales (CENETROP), Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Benjamín Quiroga
- Programa Departamental de Control de Chagas del Ministerio de Salud, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Susana Rios Morgan
- Programa Departamental de Control de Chagas del Ministerio de Salud, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | - Roberto Vargas Ortiz
- Programa Departamental de Control de Chagas del Ministerio de Salud, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | | | - Eida Espinoza
- Hospital Municipal Warnes "Nuestra Señora del Rosario", Santa Cruz, Bolivia
| | | | | | - Mihoko Kikuchi
- Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shusaku Mizukami
- Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kesara Na-Bangchang
- Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
| | - Nguyen Tien Huy
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Clinical Product Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kenji Hirayama
- Department of Immunogenetics, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Moscatelli G, Moroni S, García Bournissen F, González N, Ballering G, Schijman A, Corral R, Bisio M, Freilij H, Altcheh J. Longitudinal follow up of serological response in children treated for Chagas disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007668. [PMID: 31465522 PMCID: PMC6715178 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Evaluation of therapeutic response in chronic Chagas disease is a major challenge, due to prolonged persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi-specific antibodies, lack of sensitivity of parasitological tests, and need for long-term follow-up to observe negative seroconversion of conventional serological tests (CS). The objective of this study was to evaluate F2/3-ELISA serology, a promising early biomarker of therapeutic response, and T.cruzi Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for T. cruzi Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), for neonatal diagnosis and evaluation of parasitemia after treatment. Methods Prospective cohort study, with three-year clinical, serological and parasitological follow-up of pediatric Chagas disease patients treated with benznidazole. Serology was evaluated by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA), Indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and F2/3-ELISA; Parasitemia by microhematocrit (MH) and PCR. Results A cohort of 107 pediatric patients treated with benznidazole was enrolled in the study. ELISA and IHA were initially reactive in 100% of patients, F2/3-ELISA serology was reactive in 80% (86/107) and 91% (97/107) had detectable parasitemia. Seventy-six (71%) patients completed at least 36 months of serological follow up after treatment. Although a similar decreasing linear trend was observed for all serological tests, F2/3-ELISA presented earlier, age dependent, negative seroconversion compared to CS. All patients reaching undetectable CS titers had previously seroreverted by F2/3-ELISA. All patients with persistently decreasing antibody titers had negative PCRs throughout the follow up period. No new cardiological lesions were observed during the 3 years follow-up period. Conclusions The data reported here, using CS, F2/3 ELISA and PCR provide support for the efficacy of benznidazole in congenital Chagas diseases. These results provide support for scaling up of screening, diagnosis and access to benznidazole treatment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov 0028/04 in the Research Council, Secretary of Health Buenos Aires city Goberment. Evaluation of therapeutic response in chronic Chagas disease is a major challenge, particularly in the early post-treatment phase, due to prolonged persistence of Trypanosoma cruzi-specific antibodies and lack of sensitivity of available parasitological tests. The main limitation in evaluating Chagas disease treatment response stems from the need for long-term follow-up to observe negative seroconversion of conventional serological tests. New biomarkers of cure are needed. We evaluated F2/3-ELISA, a promising early serological marker of therapeutic response, and T.cruzi PCR for T.cruzi DNA, for neonatal diagnosis and evaluation of parasitemia after treatment. F2/3-ELISA and PCR proved to be excellent early markers of treatment response that correlate with ELISA and IHA but can identify treatment response or failure at much earlier timepoints. This information can help design future paediatric clinical trials in Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Moscatelli
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Multidisciplinary Institute for Research of Pediatric Diseases- CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - Samanta Moroni
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Multidisciplinary Institute for Research of Pediatric Diseases- CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García Bournissen
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Multidisciplinary Institute for Research of Pediatric Diseases- CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nicolás González
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Griselda Ballering
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Schijman
- Molecular Biology Laboratory of Chagas disease, INGEBI-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Corral
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Margarita Bisio
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Héctor Freilij
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Parasitology service Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Multidisciplinary Institute for Research of Pediatric Diseases- CONICET-GCBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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6
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Caldas IS, Santos EG, Novaes RD. An evaluation of benznidazole as a Chagas disease therapeutic. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2019; 20:1797-1807. [PMID: 31456439 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2019.1650915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: As benznidazole is the first-line treatment for patients with Chagas disease, rational chemotherapy strategies are required based on the critical analysis of the evidence on the relevance and applicability of this drug at different disease stages. Areas covered: The authors discuss the current understanding of benznidazole-based chemotherapy for Chagas disease, focusing specifically on epidemiology, pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action, clinical recommendations, cure criteria, and therapeutic efficacy in different phases of the disease. Expert opinion: Benznidazole shows high bioavailability after oral administration. Benznidazole at 5-8 mg/kg/day and 5-10 mg/kg/day for 30-60 days are consistent clinical recommendations for children and adults, respectively. A high correlation between negative parasitological, serological, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays in long-term post-therapeutic follow-up has been consistently used to evaluate therapeutic efficacy. These methods support the evidence that the success of benznidazole-based chemotherapy is closely correlated with the phase of infection in which the treatment is administered. The greater therapeutic efficacy is obtained in acute infections, gradually worsening as the infection becomes chronic. When therapeutic failure is confirmed by any diagnostic assay, benznidazole treatment does not always ensure better long-term prognosis, and Chagas cardiomyopathy may develop as well as in untreated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo S Caldas
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) , Alfenas , Minas Gerais , Brazil
| | - Elda G Santos
- Department of Structural Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) , Alfenas , Minas Gerais , Brazil
| | - Rômulo D Novaes
- Department of Structural Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) , Alfenas , Minas Gerais , Brazil
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Vergara C, Muñoz G, Martínez G, Apt W, Zulantay I. Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi by PCR in adults with chronic Chagas disease treated with nifurtimox. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221100. [PMID: 31433828 PMCID: PMC6703690 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, a vector-borne parasitosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic to Latin America and has spread to other countries due to immigration of infected persons. It is estimated that 160,000 people are infected in Chile, most of them in the chronic phase and without etiological treatment. The infection is confirmed by conventional serological methods while molecular methods have become in valuable tools to evaluate parasitemia in treated and non-treated chronic Chagas disease patients. The objective of this study was to determine, by conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction, the presence of T. cruzi kinetoplastid DNA in peripheral blood samples from 114 adult individuals with confirmed chronic Chagas disease, before and 6.6 years (average) after treatment with nifurtimox. The samples were received and preserved in guanidine-EDTA until DNA purification. Conventional PCR assays were performed in triplicate with T. cruzi kinetoplastid DNA primers 121 and 122. The amplified products were fractionated by electrophoresis in 2% agarose gels. A 330 bp product represented a positive assay. 84.2% (96 cases) and 6.1% (7 cases) of the samples taken before and after the treatment, respectively, were positive. The McNemar test showed a statistically significant difference between the groups of samples (p<0.001). Since serological negativization (the current cure criterion) delay many years after therapy and positive parasitological results represent a treatment failure, the conversion of pre-therapy positive conventional PCR is a qualitative and complementary tool that could be included in protocols of prolonged follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Vergara
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriela Muñoz
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriela Martínez
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Werner Apt
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Inés Zulantay
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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8
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Kong E, Zhu J, Wu W, Ren H, Jiao X, Wang H, Zhang Z. Nifurtimox Inhibits the Progression of Neuroblastoma in vivo. J Cancer 2019; 10:2194-2204. [PMID: 31258723 PMCID: PMC6584410 DOI: 10.7150/jca.27851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma was one of the most life-threatening cancer developed in children, yet the conventional therapies currently used leave an unmet gap for clinical requirements. Temozolomide is the first line of drug in the treatment of neuroblastorma nowadays. Giving the fact that temozolomide treatment offered limited healing effect and patients responded divergently, an alternative beneficial path is urgently requested. Nifurtimox, a drug against Trypanosoma cruzi, was happened to find competent in treating a patient who carried aggressive neuroblastoma. Although in vitro studies demonstrated that nifurtimox has cytotoxic features against tumor cells, a systematic investigation in vivo is generally inadequate. Here we exhibited that nifurtimox could suppress the progression of neuroblastoma in vivo, while maintain the health condition to a great extent. Importantly, as comparing to temozolomide, nifurtimox presented a stronger effect on inhibiting tumor development, strongly suggesting that nifurtimox is a preferential alternative drug in treating neuroblastoma. Additionally, it was shown that Akt-GSK3β signaling cascade was involved in tumor arrest induced by nifurtimox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eryan Kong
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jiangli Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453000, China
| | - Wentao Wu
- Tianjin Ocelean Pharma, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Xuemiao Jiao
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Immunology and Targeted Therapy, and.,Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Zhongjian Zhang
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
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Schijman AG. Molecular diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi. Acta Trop 2018; 184:59-66. [PMID: 29476727 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the kinetoplastid protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people, most of them neglected populations. The different phases of the disease, the transmission mode and the high genetic variability of the parasite determine that molecular detection methods display different degree of success. Molecular diagnostic tests may be employed during epidemiological surveys of transmission, for early diagnosis of congenital transmission and acute infections due to oral transmission, transfusion or transplantation routes, reactivation due to immunosuppression and monitoring of treatment response in chronically infected patients receiving trypanocidal chemotherapy. This manuscript summarizes the most widely used molecular tools to detect T. cruzi infection in different epidemiological and clinical scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro G Schijman
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Hector Torres" (INGEBI-CONICET), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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10
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Sguassero Y, Roberts KN, Harvey GB, Comandé D, Ciapponi A, Cuesta CB, Aguiar C, Castro AMD, Danesi E, de Andrade AL, de Lana M, Escribà JM, Fabbro DL, Fernandes CD, Flores-Chávez M, Hasslocher-Moreno AM, Jackson Y, Lacunza CD, Machado-de-Assis GF, Maldonado M, Meira WSF, Molina I, Monje-Rumi MM, Muñoz-San Martín C, Murcia L, Nery de Castro C, Sánchez Negrette O, Segovia M, Silveira CAN, Solari A, Steindel M, Streiger ML, Vera de Bilbao N, Zulantay I, Sosa-Estani S. Course of serological tests in treated subjects with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. Int J Infect Dis 2018; 73:93-101. [PMID: 29879524 PMCID: PMC6069672 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This is the first meta-analysis of individual data in chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection after treatment. The probability of seroreversion is variable along the course of follow-up. An interaction was found between age at treatment and country setting. The course of parasitological/molecular tests after treatment needs to be assessed.
Objective To determine the course of serological tests in subjects with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection treated with anti-trypanosomal drugs. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using individual participant data. Survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards regression model with random effects to adjust for covariates were applied. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO; CRD42012002162). Results A total of 27 studies (1296 subjects) conducted in eight countries were included. The risk of bias was low for all domains in 17 studies (63.0%). Nine hundred and thirteen subjects were assessed (149 seroreversion events, 83.7% censored data) for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 670 subjects (134 events, 80.0% censored) for indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF), and 548 subjects (99 events, 82.0% censored) for indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). A higher probability of seroreversion was observed within a shorter time span in subjects aged 1–19 years compared to adults. The chance of seroreversion also varied according to the country where the infection might have been acquired. For instance, the pooled adjusted hazard ratio between children/adolescents and adults for the IIF test was 1.54 (95% confidence interval 0.64–3.71) for certain countries of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Paraguay) and 9.37 (95% confidence interval 3.44–25.50) for Brazil. Conclusions The disappearance of anti-T. cruzi antibodies was demonstrated along the course of follow-up. An interaction between age at treatment and country setting was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanina Sguassero
- Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Parasitología, Fatala Chaben-ANLIS, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Karen N Roberts
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina
| | - Guillermina B Harvey
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina
| | - Daniel Comandé
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ciapponi
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina B Cuesta
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina
| | - Camila Aguiar
- Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil
| | - Ana M de Castro
- Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Emmaría Danesi
- Centro Nacional de Investigación y Diagnóstico en Endemoepidemias (CeNDIE-ANLIS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana L de Andrade
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Marta de Lana
- Departamento de Análise Clínica, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Josep M Escribà
- Medical Department, Médecins sans Frontières, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana L Fabbro
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Endemias Nacionales (CIEN), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Cloé D Fernandes
- Instituto de Pesquisa Biológica, Laboratório Central, Fundação Estadual de Produção e Pesquisa em Saúde, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - María Flores-Chávez
- Unidad de Leishmaniasis, Servicio de Parasitología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España
| | | | - Yves Jackson
- Division of Primary Care Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carlos D Lacunza
- Dirección de Primer Nivel de Atención, Área Operativa N° LV, Salta, Argentina
| | - Girley F Machado-de-Assis
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Vida, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Governador Valadares, Brazil
| | - Marisel Maldonado
- Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Wendell S F Meira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro, Brazil
| | - Israel Molina
- Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; International Health Program of the Catalan Institute of Health (PROSICS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - María M Monje-Rumi
- Laboratorio de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Catalina Muñoz-San Martín
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Laura Murcia
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Murcia, España; Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia, España
| | - Cleudson Nery de Castro
- Escola de Saúde e Medicina, Universidade Católica de Brasília, Brazil; Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brazil
| | - Olga Sánchez Negrette
- Cátedra de Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Católica de Salta, Argentina; Cátedra de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Argentina
| | - Manuel Segovia
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Murcia, España; Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia, España
| | - Celeste A N Silveira
- Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Brazil
| | - Aldo Solari
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mário Steindel
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Mirtha L Streiger
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Endemias Nacionales (CIEN), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Ninfa Vera de Bilbao
- Departamento de Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Inés Zulantay
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología, Fatala Chaben-ANLIS, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria. CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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11
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Sales Junior PA, Molina I, Fonseca Murta SM, Sánchez-Montalvá A, Salvador F, Corrêa-Oliveira R, Carneiro CM. Experimental and Clinical Treatment of Chagas Disease: A Review. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 97:1289-1303. [PMID: 29016289 PMCID: PMC5817734 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that infects a broad range of triatomines and mammalian species, including man. It afflicts 8 million people in Latin America, and its incidence is increasing in nonendemic countries owing to rising international immigration and nonvectorial transmission routes such as blood donation. Since the 1960s, the only drugs available for the clinical treatment of this infection have been benznidazole (BZ) and nifurtimox (NFX). Treatment with these trypanocidal drugs is recommended in both the acute and chronic phases of CD. These drugs have low cure rates mainly during the chronic phase, in addition both drugs present side effects that may result in the interruption of the treatment. Thus, more efficient and better-tolerated new drugs or pharmaceutical formulations containing BZ or NFX are urgently needed. Here, we review the drugs currently used for CD chemotherapy, ongoing clinical assays, and most-promising new experimental drugs. In addition, the mechanism of action of the commercially available drugs, NFX and BZ, the biodistribution of the latter, and the potential for novel formulations of BZ based on nanotechnology are discussed. Taken together, the literature emphasizes the urgent need for new therapies for acute and chronic CD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Israel Molina
- Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Adrián Sánchez-Montalvá
- Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Salvador
- Infectious Diseases Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, PROSICS Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Corrêa-Oliveira
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Martins Carneiro
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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12
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Murcia L, Simón M, Carrilero B, Roig M, Segovia M. Treatment of Infected Women of Childbearing Age Prevents Congenital Trypanosoma cruzi Infection by Eliminating the Parasitemia Detected by PCR. J Infect Dis 2017; 215:1452-1458. [PMID: 28201741 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We evaluated the effectiveness of treating women of childbearing age with benznidazole to prevent congenital Chagas disease (CCD), as well as the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a tool to predict the risk of transmission. Methods Prospective study involving 144 T. cruzi seropositive pregnant women. The parasitological status was studied by PCR in 159 pregnancies, 38 of which involved a cohort of previously treated mothers. One hundred sixty children were examined by PCR and serologically studied at 0-6, 9 and 12 months and annually after treatment. Results PCR was seen to be useful for predicting the risk of congenital transmission: 18.8% of mothers with a positive PCR result transmitted the infection (16 infected children out of 85 pregnancies). No infected infants were detected among 74 pregnancies when PCR was negative. Of the treated mothers, 92.1% had negative PCR results, compared with 32.2% of untreated mothers. No infected infants were detected from previously treated mothers, compared with 13.2% among untreated mothers (P = .019; χ2). All infants treated before the first year of life were cured. Conclusions Treating infected women of childbearing age prevents congenital Chagas disease. Polymerase chain reaction screening of T. cruzi-infected pregnant women is a useful tool for predicting the risk of congenital transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Murcia
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, and.,Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo Murcia, Spain
| | - Marina Simón
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca,El Palmar, and
| | - Bartolomé Carrilero
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca,El Palmar, and
| | - Mercedes Roig
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca,El Palmar, and
| | - Manuel Segovia
- Unidad Regional de Medicina Tropical, Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, and.,Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Murcia, Espinardo Murcia, Spain
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13
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Nifurtimox Is Effective Against Neural Tumor Cells and Is Synergistic with Buthionine Sulfoximine. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27458. [PMID: 27282514 PMCID: PMC4901277 DOI: 10.1038/srep27458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with aggressive neural tumors have poor survival rates and novel therapies are needed. Previous studies have identified nifurtimox and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) as effective agents in children with neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. We hypothesized that nifurtimox would be effective against other neural tumor cells and would be synergistic with BSO. We determined neural tumor cell viability before and after treatment with nifurtimox using MTT assays. Assays for DNA ladder formation and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage were performed to measure the induction of apoptosis after nifurtimox treatment. Inhibition of intracellular signaling was measured by Western blot analysis of treated and untreated cells. Tumor cells were then treated with combinations of nifurtimox and BSO and evaluated for viability using MTT assays. All neural tumor cell lines were sensitive to nifurtimox, and IC50 values ranged from approximately 20 to 210 μM. Nifurtimox treatment inhibited ERK phosphorylation and induced apoptosis in tumor cells. Furthermore, the combination of nifurtimox and BSO demonstrated significant synergistic efficacy in all tested cell lines. Additional preclinical and clinical studies of the combination of nifurtimox and BSO in patients with neural tumors are warranted.
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14
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Sguassero Y, Cuesta CB, Roberts KN, Hicks E, Comandé D, Ciapponi A, Sosa-Estani S. Course of Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi Infection after Treatment Based on Parasitological and Serological Tests: A Systematic Review of Follow-Up Studies. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139363. [PMID: 26436678 PMCID: PMC4593559 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). It is endemic in Latin American countries outside the Caribbean. The current criterion for cure in the chronic phase of the disease is the negativization of at least two serological tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) and indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). The serological evolution of treated subjects with chronic T. cruzi infection is variable. Treatment failure is indicated by a positive parasitological and/or molecular test (persistence of parasitemia). Objectives To summarize the pattern of response to treatment of parasitological, molecular and serological tests performed during the follow-up of subjects with chronic T. cruzi infection. Methods Electronic searches in relevant databases and screening of citations of potentially eligible articles were accomplished. Organizations focusing on neglected infectious diseases were asked for help in identifying relevant studies. Included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and cohort studies involving adults and children with chronic infection who received trypanocidal treatment (benznidazole or nifurtimox) and were followed over time. The assessment of risk of bias was performed separately for each study design. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool and the guidelines developed by Hayden et al. were used. Two reviewers extracted all data independently. A third review author was consulted in case of discordant opinion. Additional analyses were defined in ad-hoc basis. Scatter plots for percentage of positive parasitological and molecular tests and for negative serological tests were developed by using the lowess curve technique. Heterogeneity was measured by I2. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic review protocols (Registration Number CRD42012002162). Results Out of 2,136 citations screened, 54 studies (six RCTs and 48 cohort studies) were included. The smoothed curves for positive xenodiagnosis and positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were characterized by a sharp decrease at twelve month posttreatment. Afterwards, they reached 10–20% and 40% for xenodiagnosis and PCR, respectively. The smoothed curves for negative conventional serological tests increased up to 10% after 48 months of treatment. In the long-term, the rate of negativization was between 20% and 45%. The main sources of bias identified across cohort studies were the lack of control for confounding and attrition bias. In general, RCTs were judged as low risk of bias in all domains. The level of heterogeneity across included studies was moderate to high. Additional analysis were incomplete because of the limited availability of data. In this regard, the country of origin of study participants might affect the results of parasitological and molecular tests, while the level of risk of bias might affect serological outcomes. Subgroup analysis suggested that seronegativization occurs earlier in children compared to adults. Conclusions We acknowledge that there is a dynamic pattern of response based on parasitological, molecular and serological tests in subjects chronically infected with T. cruzi after treatment. Our findings suggest a trypanocidal effect in the long-term follow-up. Further research is needed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity and to conduct reliable subgroup analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanina Sguassero
- Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales (CREP), Cochrane Centre CREP, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología (INP), “Dr Mario Fatala Chaben”, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (ANLIS) Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina B. Cuesta
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Karen N. Roberts
- Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Elizabeth Hicks
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Daniel Comandé
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Cochrane Centre IECS, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ciapponi
- Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Cochrane Centre IECS, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología (INP), “Dr Mario Fatala Chaben”, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (ANLIS) Malbrán, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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15
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Pérez-Molina JA, Perez AM, Norman FF, Monge-Maillo B, López-Vélez R. Old and new challenges in Chagas disease. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2015; 15:1347-56. [PMID: 26231478 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(15)00243-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected disease, which can lead to cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, megaviscera, and more rarely, polyneuropathy in up to 30-40% of patients around 20 to 30 years after acute infection. Although it is endemic in the Americas, global population movements mean that it can be located wherever migrants from endemic areas settle. The disease was first described 100 years ago and still challenges clinicians worldwide, since diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic methods remain insufficient. Furthermore, factors such as HIV co-infection, immunosuppressive drugs, transplantation, and neoplastic disease can alter the natural course of the infection. We present the case of a Bolivian woman with chronic T cruzi infection diagnosed at our clinic in Madrid, Spain, who subsequently developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Our report illustrates the challenges of an increasingly common infection seen in non-endemic countries, and highlights both daily management dilemmas and associated difficulties that arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Pérez-Molina
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Insituto Ramón y Cajal de Investgación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Angela Martinez Perez
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Insituto Ramón y Cajal de Investgación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesca F Norman
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Insituto Ramón y Cajal de Investgación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Begoña Monge-Maillo
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Insituto Ramón y Cajal de Investgación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rogelio López-Vélez
- National Referral Centre for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal Hospital, Insituto Ramón y Cajal de Investgación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
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16
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Pull L, Touafek F, Paris L, Le Loup G, Brutus L, Siriez JY. Negativation of Trypanosoma cruzi PCR within Six Months after Treatment of a Child with Nifurtimox. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003667. [PMID: 25951170 PMCID: PMC4423973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Pull
- Service d'Accueil des Urgences Pédiatrique, Hôpital Robert-Debré-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Feriel Touafek
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et de Mycologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Luc Paris
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et de Mycologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Le Loup
- Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital Tenon-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; UMR216 "Mère et enfant face aux infections tropicales," Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Laurent Brutus
- UMR216 "Mère et enfant face aux infections tropicales," Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Yves Siriez
- Service d'Accueil des Urgences Pédiatrique, Hôpital Robert-Debré-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
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Pinazo MJ, Thomas MC, Bustamante J, Almeida ICD, Lopez MC, Gascon J. Biomarkers of therapeutic responses in chronic Chagas disease: state of the art and future perspectives. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:422-32. [PMID: 25946151 PMCID: PMC4489480 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760140435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The definition of a biomarker provided by the World Health Organization is any
substance, structure, or process that can be measured in the body, or its products
and influence, or predict the incidence or outcome of disease. Currently, the lack of
prognosis and progression markers for chronic Chagas disease has posed limitations
for testing new drugs to treat this neglected disease. Several molecules and
techniques to detect biomarkers in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected
patients have been proposed to assess whether specific treatment with benznidazole or
nifurtimox is effective. Isolated proteins or protein groups from different
T. cruzi stages and parasite-derived glycoproteins and synthetic
neoglycoconjugates have been demonstrated to be useful for this purpose, as have
nucleic acid amplification techniques. The amplification of T. cruzi
DNA using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method is the leading test
for assessing responses to treatment in a short period of time. Biochemical
biomarkers have been tested early after specific treatment. Cytokines and surface
markers represent promising molecules for the characterisation of host cellular
responses, but need to be further assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Jesus Pinazo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria-Carmen Thomas
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López Neyra, National Research Council Institute, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Bustamante
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Igor Correia de Almeida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA
| | - Manuel-Carlos Lopez
- Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López Neyra, National Research Council Institute, Granada, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Barcelona, Spain
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Follow-up of an asymptomatic Chagas disease population of children after treatment with nifurtimox (Lampit) in a sylvatic endemic transmission area of Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003465. [PMID: 25723465 PMCID: PMC4344301 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease is an anthropozoonosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Two drugs are currently used for the etiological treatment of the disease: Nifurtimox (Lampit) and Benznidazole. This study presents a quasi-experimental trial (non-control group) of sixty-two patients who were treated for Chagas disease with Nifurtimox (Lampit), and were then followed for 30 months post-treatment. The safety of Nifurtimox (Lampit) for Chagas disease in this group of children primarily between 4 and 19 years old was also evaluated. Materials and methods The 62 patients included in the study were selected when resulted seropositive for two out of three fundamentally different serological tests. All children were treated during two months according to protocols established by WHO. Monitoring was performed every twenty days to evaluate treatment safety. In 43 patients, two different serological tests: ELISA and IFAT; and two parasitological tests: blood culture, and real time PCR, (qPCR) were performed to assess therapeutic response, defined as post-treatment serological negativization. Principal findings All patients completed the treatment successfully, and six patients abandoned the post-treatment follow-up. Adverse effects occurred in 74% of patients, but only 4.8% of cases required temporary suspension to achieve 100% adherence to the 60-day treatment, and all symptoms reverted after treatment completion. Both parasite load (measured through qPCR) and antibodies (ELISA absorbance) evidenced a significant median reduction 6 months after treatment from 6.2 to 0.2 parasite equivalents/mL, and from 0.6 to 0.2 absorbance units respectively (p<0.001). Serological negativization by ELISA was evident since 6 months post-treatment, whereas by IFAT only after 18 months. Serological negativization by the two tests (ELISA and IFAT) was 41.9% (95%CI: 26.5–57.3) after 30 months post-treatment. qPCR was positive in 88.3% of patients pre-treatment and only in 12.1% of patients after 30 months. Survival analysis indicated that only 26.3% (95%CI: 15.5–44.8) persisted with negative qPCR during the whole follow-up period. Conclusions Nifurtimox was very well tolerated and successfully reduced parasite load and antibody titers. Re-infection, lysed parasites or a lack of anti-parasitic activity could explain these persistently positive qPCR cases. Chagas disease is currently treated with two drugs, Benznidazole (BNZ) and Nifurtimox (NFX). The need to find the ideal diagnostic technique for post treatment evaluation still exists, due to the known flaws of the currently used techniques. We performed an evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of Nifurtimox treatment in a population of 62 children infected with Trypanosoma cruzi in an endemic Colombian area. The effectiveness was evaluated with two serological tests (IFAT and ELISA), and with two parasitological tests (blood culture and qPCR). We suggest the use of qPCR as a marker of response in all future treatment evaluations for Chagas disease, due to its potential to detect early treatment failure and/or reinfection. In order to have more conclusive results, it is important to perform this kind of study in a controlled environment, wherein the risk of reinfection is not considered.
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Pinazo MJ, Thomas MC, Bua J, Perrone A, Schijman AG, Viotti RJ, Ramsey JM, Ribeiro I, Sosa-Estani S, López MC, Gascon J. Biological markers for evaluating therapeutic efficacy in Chagas disease, a systematic review. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2015; 12:479-96. [PMID: 24621252 DOI: 10.1586/14787210.2014.899150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The most neglected aspects of Chagas disease (CD) have been patient care and treatment. Despite recent progress in the development of potentially improved drugs, there is no consensus among different research groups on the lack of therapeutic response markers to evaluate efficacy of newly proposed drugs early after treatment. A systematic review of current evidence regarding molecules which are potential biomarkers for therapeutic response has been conducted using quality assessment and target responses as primary criteria. The review provides a panorama of the cumulative evidence and specific needs for development of a battery of complementary biomarkers which together fulfill ideal or acceptable criteria to evaluate early responses to treatment for chronic CD. There are several marker candidates which together may fulfill acceptable criteria to indicate the efficacy of a trypanocidal treatment. Data from ongoing studies are considered essential to improve assessment of existing markers and to identify those for early follow-up of treated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Jesús Pinazo
- Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), 132 Rosello st 4°,08036, Barcelona, Spain
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Pritt BS. Molecular Diagnostics in the Diagnosis of Parasitic Infection. METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mim.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Garcia A, Ortiz S, Iribarren C, Bahamonde M, Solari A. Congenital co-infection with different Trypanosoma cruzi lineages. Parasitol Int 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Fabbro D, Velazquez E, Bizai ML, Denner S, Olivera V, Arias E, Pravia C, Ruiz AM. Evaluation of the ELISA-F29 test as an early marker of therapeutic efficacy in adults with chronic Chagas disease. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2013; 55:S0036-46652013000300167. [PMID: 23740013 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652013000300005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2011] [Accepted: 12/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This work compared the time at which negative seroconversion was detected by conventional serology (CS) and by the ELISA-F29 test on a cohort of chronic chagasic patients treated with nifurtimox or benznidazole. A retrospective study was performed using preserved serum from 66 asymptomatic chagasic adults under clinical supervision, and bi-annual serological examinations over a mean follow-up of 23 years. Twenty nine patients received trypanocide treatment and 37 remained untreated. The ELISA-F29 test used a recombinant antigen which was obtained by expressing the Trypanosoma cruzi flagellar calcium-binding protein gene in Escherichia coli. Among the untreated patients, 36 maintained CS titers. One patient showed a doubtful serology in some check-ups. ELISA-F29 showed constant reactivity in 35 out of 37 patients and was negative for the patient with fluctuating CS. The treated patients were divided into three groups according to the CS titers: in 13 they became negative; in 12 they decreased and in four they remained unchanged. ELISA-F29 was negative for the first two groups. The time at which negativization was detected was significantly lower for the ELISA-F29 test than for CS, 14.5 ± 5.7 and 22 ± 4.9 years respectively. Negative seroconversion was observed in treated patients only. The results obtained confirm that the ELISA-F29 test is useful as an early indicator of negative seroconversion in treated chronic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Fabbro
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Endemias Nacionales, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Casilla de Correo 242, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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Rumi MM, Pérez Brandán C, Gil J, D’Amato AA, Ragone P, Lauthier J, Tomasini N, Cimino R, Orellana V, Lacunza C, Nasser J, Basombrío M, Diosque P. Benznidazole treatment in chronic children infected with Trypanosoma cruzi: serological and molecular follow-up of patients and identification of Discrete Typing Units. Acta Trop 2013; 128:130-6. [PMID: 23880286 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2013.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
A total of 221 children from two rural settlements in Northeast Argentina were examined for T. cruzi infection. Blood samples were taken for serology tests and PCR assays. In addition, T. cruzi Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) were determined by hybridization with specific DNA probes of the minicircle hypervariable regions (mHVR). Serological results indicated that 26% (57/215) were reactive against T. cruzi antigens. PCR analyses were performed on seropositive samples showing presence of parasite DNA in 31 out of 53 samples (58.5%). All seropositive children underwent specific chemotherapy with Benznidazole (5mg/kg/day) for a period of two months and were monitored two and five years after treatment. Overall the treatment was well tolerated and low side effects were observed. Serological conversion was observed at two years post -treatment in one child form Pampa Ávila and at five years in two children from Tres Estacas. However, at the end of the follow-up period, T. cruzi DNA could not be detected by PCR in samples from treated children, except in two cases. In addition, the results of hybridizations with specific DNA probes showed that DTU TcV was detected in 68% (21/31), TcVI in 7% (2/31) and TcV/VI in 3% (1/31) of the samples. Altogether, results of the follow-up of treated children showed a low rate of seroconversion; however trend toward seroconversion was evident at five years post-treatment. On the other hand, detection of T. cruzi DNA by PCR significantly decreased after Benznidazole treatment. The existence of data regarding serological and molecular follow-ups from controlled studies in the Chaco Region will be important for future treatment efforts against T. cruzi infection in this region. The results obtained in the present study represent a contribution in this regard.
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Apt W, Arribada A, Zulantay I, Solari A, Sánchez G, Mundaca K, Coronado X, Rodríguez J, Gil LC, Osuna A. Itraconazole or allopurinol in the treatment of chronic American trypanosomiasis: the results of clinical and parasitological examinations 11 years post-treatment. ANNALS OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND PARASITOLOGY 2013; 99:733-41. [PMID: 16297286 DOI: 10.1179/136485905x75403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Eleven years after they had been given itraconazole or allopurinol for the treatment of chronic American trypanosomiasis, 109 adult patients were checked for electrocardiographic abnormalities and evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The parasitological investigations included xenodiagnosis, in which the faeces of Triatoma infestans that had fed on the patients were checked under the microscope for flagellates. In addition, a PCR-based assay and a hybridization assay were used to test blood samples from the patients, and faeces from the Tri. infestans that had fed on the patients, for Try. cruzi DNA. For the data analysis, the patients were divided into four groups known as normal/normal, abnormal/normal, normal/abnormal and abnormal/abnormal, according to whether the patients had been found to have normal or abnormal electrocardiograms (ECG) shortly before the first treatment and to have normal or abnormal ECG when checked at the 11-year follow-up. The 51 normal/normal and 24 normal/abnormal patients were assumed to have been in the 'indeterminate' phase of the disease when they were treated, whereas the 16 abnormal/normal and 18 abnormal/abnormal patients all had evidence of chagasic cardiopathy at that time. When checked 11 years post-treatment, 40 (78.4%), 17 (70.8%), 14 (87.5%) and 17 (94.4%) of these patients, respectively, were each found positive for Try. cruzi in at least one of the parasitological tests. The hybridization assay, whether applied to human blood or bug faeces, appeared a significantly more sensitive test than the PCR-based assays or microscopically assessed xenodiagnosis (P<0.05). Only the 21 patients who appeared to be negative for Try. cruzi could be considered parasitologically cured (although all still appeared to have anti-Try. cruzi antibodies in their blood). Only 13 of these parasitologically cured patients (seven of those treated with itraconazole and six of those given allopurinol) had normal ECG at the 11-year follow-up. In Chile at least, itraconazole, which caused fewer adverse effects than the allopurinol while being no less effective at preventing cardiopathy, appears to be the drug of choice to treat chronic American trypanosomiasis in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Apt
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Básico-Clínico, Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, P.O. Box 427, Santiago 3, Chile.
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Risk Factors and Primary Prevention of Congenital Chagas Disease in a Nonendemic Country. Clin Infect Dis 2012; 56:496-502. [DOI: 10.1093/cid/cis910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Martínez-Luis S, Gómez JF, Spadafora C, Guzmán HM, Gutiérrez M. Antitrypanosomal alkaloids from the marine bacterium Bacillus pumilus. Molecules 2012; 17:11146-55. [PMID: 22990456 PMCID: PMC6268621 DOI: 10.3390/molecules170911146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the marine bacterium Bacillus pumilus isolated from the black coral Antipathes sp. led to the isolation of five compounds: cyclo-(L-Leu-L-Pro) (1), 3-hydroxyacetylindole (2), N-acetyl-β-oxotryptamine (3), cyclo-(L-Phe-L-Pro) (4), and 3-formylindole (5). The structures of compounds 1−5 were established by spectroscopic analyses, including HRESITOF-MS and NMR (1H, 13C, HSQC, HMBC and COSY). Compounds 2, 3 and 5 caused the inhibition on the growth of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), with IC50 values of 20.6, 19.4 and 26.9 μM, respectively, with moderate cytotoxicity against Vero cells. Compounds 1−5 were found to be inactive when tested against Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani, therefore showing selectivity against T. cruzi parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Martínez-Luis
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, P.O. Box 0843-01103, Panama;
| | - José Félix Gómez
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, P.O. Box 0843-01103, Panama;
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, México D.F. 07360, Mexico;
| | - Carmenza Spadafora
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology of Diseases, Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, P.O. Box 0843-01103, Panama;
| | - Héctor M. Guzmán
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, P.O. Box 0843-03092, Panama;
| | - Marcelino Gutiérrez
- Center for Biodiversity and Drug Discovery, Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, P.O. Box 0843-01103, Panama;
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; ; Tel.: +507-517-0732; Fax: +507-517-0701
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Therapy of chagas disease: implications for levels of prevention. J Trop Med 2012; 2012:292138. [PMID: 22523499 PMCID: PMC3317183 DOI: 10.1155/2012/292138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2011] [Revised: 11/26/2011] [Accepted: 11/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews the evidence supporting the use of etiological treatment for Chagas disease that has changed the standard of care for patients with Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the last decades. Implications of this evidence on different levels of prevention as well as gaps in current knowledge are also discussed. In this regard, etiological treatment has shown to be beneficial as an intervention for secondary prevention to successfully cure the infection or to delay, reduce, or prevent the progression to disease, and as primary disease prevention by breaking the chain of transmission. Timely diagnosis during initial stages would allow for the prescription of appropriate therapies mainly in the primary health care system thus improving chances for a better quality of life. Based on current evidence, etiological treatment has to be considered as an essential public health strategy useful to reduce disease burden and to eliminate Chagas disease altogether.
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Aguiar C, Batista AM, Pavan TBS, Almeida EA, Guariento ME, Wanderley JS, Costa SCB. Serological profiles and evaluation of parasitaemia by PCR and blood culture in individuals chronically infected by Trypanosoma cruzi treated with benzonidazole. Trop Med Int Health 2011; 17:368-73. [PMID: 22212647 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02936.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the serological and parasitological status of patients with chronic Chagas disease (CD) after chemotherapy with benzonidazole. METHODS Retrospective study of patients treated with benzonidazole (5 mg/kg/day for 60 days) between 1980 and 2010. Twenty-nine patients who had CD confirmed by two reagent immunological tests and/or one positive xenodiagnosis before treatment were included. Conventional serology (ELISA and IIF) and parasitological tests (haemoculture and N-PCR) were performed. RESULTS At the time of treatment, the mean age of patients was 36 ± 7.24 years (20-39 years) and the time post-treatment varied from 1 to 29 years. After chemotherapy, all individuals had reagent ELISA and 93.1% had positive results for the IIF test. T. cruzi DNA was detected by N-PCR in 48.3%. Negative results were observed in 41.4% and inconclusive ones in 10.3%. Haemoculture was negative for all individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that N-PCR may be useful in the early identification of therapeutic failure of CD. Although it is difficult to determine parasitological cure in negative N-PCR cases, we can infer that this condition represents a declination of parasitaemia as a favourable consequence of aetiological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Aguiar
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP, São Paulo, Brazil
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Fernández-Villegas A, Pinazo MJ, Marañón C, Thomas MC, Posada E, Carrilero B, Segovia M, Gascon J, López MC. Short-term follow-up of chagasic patients after benzonidazole treatment using multiple serological markers. BMC Infect Dis 2011; 11:206. [PMID: 21801456 PMCID: PMC3169482 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-11-206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Accepted: 07/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conventional serological tests, using total soluble proteins or a cocktail of recombinant proteins from T. cruzi as antigens, are highly sensitive for Chagas disease diagnosis. This type of tests, however, does not seem to be reliable tools for short- and medium-term monitoring of the evolution of patients after antiparasitic treatment. The aim of the present study was to search for immunological markers that could be altered in the sera from Chagas disease patients after benznidazole treatment, and therefore have a potential predictive diagnostic value. METHODS We analyzed the reactivity of sera from chagasic patients during different clinical phases of the disease against a series of immunodominant antigens, known as KMP11, PFR2, HSP70 and Tgp63. The reactivity of the sera from 46 adult Chronic Chagas disease patients living in a non-endemic country without vector transmission of T. cruzi (15 patients in the indeterminate stage, 16 in the cardiomiopathy stage and 16 in the digestive stage) and 22 control sera from non-infected subjects was analyzed. We also analyzed the response dynamics of sera from those patients who had been treated with benznidazole. RESULTS Regardless of the stage of the sickness, the sera from chagasic patients reacted against KMP11, HSP70, PFR2 and Tgp63 recombinant proteins with statistical significance relative to the reactivity against the same antigens by the sera from healthy donors, patients with autoimmune diseases or patients suffering from tuberculosis, leprosy or malaria. Shortly after benznidazole treatment, a statistically significant decrease in reactivity against KMP11, HSP70 and PFR2 was observed (six or nine month). It was also observed that, following benznidazole treatment, the differential reactivity against these antigens co-relates with the clinical status of the patients. CONCLUSIONS The recombinant antigens KMP11, PFR2, Tgp63 and HSP70 are recognized by Chagas disease patients' sera at any clinical stage of the disease. Shortly after benznidazole treatment, a drop in reactivity against three of these antigens is produced in an antigen-specific manner. Most likely, analysis of the reactivity against these recombinant antigens may be useful for monitoring the effectiveness of benznidazole treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fernández-Villegas
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de Salud - Avda, del Conocimiento s/n. 18100-Granada, Spain
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Muñoz MJ, Murcia L, Segovia M. The urgent need to develop new drugs and tools for the treatment of Chagas disease. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2011; 9:5-7. [PMID: 21171870 DOI: 10.1586/eri.10.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Schijman AG, Bisio M, Orellana L, Sued M, Duffy T, Mejia Jaramillo AM, Cura C, Auter F, Veron V, Qvarnstrom Y, Deborggraeve S, Hijar G, Zulantay I, Lucero RH, Velazquez E, Tellez T, Sanchez Leon Z, Galvão L, Nolder D, Monje Rumi M, Levi JE, Ramirez JD, Zorrilla P, Flores M, Jercic MI, Crisante G, Añez N, De Castro AM, Gonzalez CI, Acosta Viana K, Yachelini P, Torrico F, Robello C, Diosque P, Triana Chavez O, Aznar C, Russomando G, Büscher P, Assal A, Guhl F, Sosa Estani S, DaSilva A, Britto C, Luquetti A, Ladzins J. International study to evaluate PCR methods for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in blood samples from Chagas disease patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e931. [PMID: 21264349 PMCID: PMC3019106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A century after its discovery, Chagas disease still represents a major neglected tropical threat. Accurate diagnostics tools as well as surrogate markers of parasitological response to treatment are research priorities in the field. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of PCR methods in detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA by an external quality evaluation. Methodology/Findings An international collaborative study was launched by expert PCR laboratories from 16 countries. Currently used strategies were challenged against serial dilutions of purified DNA from stocks representing T. cruzi discrete typing units (DTU) I, IV and VI (set A), human blood spiked with parasite cells (set B) and Guanidine Hidrochloride-EDTA blood samples from 32 seropositive and 10 seronegative patients from Southern Cone countries (set C). Forty eight PCR tests were reported for set A and 44 for sets B and C; 28 targeted minicircle DNA (kDNA), 13 satellite DNA (Sat-DNA) and the remainder low copy number sequences. In set A, commercial master mixes and Sat-DNA Real Time PCR showed better specificity, but kDNA-PCR was more sensitive to detect DTU I DNA. In set B, commercial DNA extraction kits presented better specificity than solvent extraction protocols. Sat-DNA PCR tests had higher specificity, with sensitivities of 0.05–0.5 parasites/mL whereas specific kDNA tests detected 5.10−3 par/mL. Sixteen specific and coherent methods had a Good Performance in both sets A and B (10 fg/µl of DNA from all stocks, 5 par/mL spiked blood). The median values of sensitivities, specificities and accuracies obtained in testing the Set C samples with the 16 tests determined to be good performing by analyzing Sets A and B samples varied considerably. Out of them, four methods depicted the best performing parameters in all three sets of samples, detecting at least 10 fg/µl for each DNA stock, 0.5 par/mL and a sensitivity between 83.3–94.4%, specificity of 85–95%, accuracy of 86.8–89.5% and kappa index of 0.7–0.8 compared to consensus PCR reports of the 16 good performing tests and 63–69%, 100%, 71.4–76.2% and 0.4–0.5, respectively compared to serodiagnosis. Method LbD2 used solvent extraction followed by Sybr-Green based Real time PCR targeted to Sat-DNA; method LbD3 used solvent DNA extraction followed by conventional PCR targeted to Sat-DNA. The third method (LbF1) used glass fiber column based DNA extraction followed by TaqMan Real Time PCR targeted to Sat-DNA (cruzi 1/cruzi 2 and cruzi 3 TaqMan probe) and the fourth method (LbQ) used solvent DNA extraction followed by conventional hot-start PCR targeted to kDNA (primer pairs 121/122). These four methods were further evaluated at the coordinating laboratory in a subset of human blood samples, confirming the performance obtained by the participating laboratories. Conclusion/Significance This study represents a first crucial step towards international validation of PCR procedures for detection of T. cruzi in human blood samples. A century after its discovery, Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, still represents a major neglected tropical threat. Accurate diagnostics tools as well as surrogate markers of parasitological response to treatment are research priorities in the field. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been proposed as a sensitive laboratory tool for detection of T. cruzi infection and monitoring of parasitological treatment outcome. However, high variation in accuracy and lack of international quality controls has precluded reliable applications in the clinical practice and comparisons of data among cohorts and geographical regions. In an effort towards harmonization of PCR strategies, 26 expert laboratories from 16 countries evaluated their current PCR procedures against sets of control samples, composed by serial dilutions of T.cruzi DNA from culture stocks belonging to different lineages, human blood spiked with parasite cells and blood samples from Chagas disease patients. A high variability in sensitivities and specificities was found among the 48 reported PCR tests. Out of them, four tests with best performance were selected and further evaluated. This study represents a crucial first step towards device of a standardized operative procedure for T. cruzi PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro G Schijman
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de Enfermedad de Chagas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Jercic MI, Mercado R, Villarroel R. Congenital Trypanosoma cruzi infection in neonates and infants from two regions of Chile where Chagas' disease is endemic. J Clin Microbiol 2010; 48:3824-6. [PMID: 20686091 PMCID: PMC2953114 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00048-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Urbina JA. Specific chemotherapy of Chagas disease: relevance, current limitations and new approaches. Acta Trop 2010; 115:55-68. [PMID: 19900395 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2009.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 323] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2009] [Revised: 10/22/2009] [Accepted: 10/26/2009] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
A critical review of the development of specific chemotherapeutic approaches for the management of American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease is presented, including controversies on the pathogenesis of the disease, the initial efforts that led to the development of currently available drugs (nifurtimox and benznidazole), limitations of these therapies and novel approaches for the development of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drugs, based on our growing understanding of the biology of this parasite. Among the later, the most promising approaches are ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors such as posaconazole and ravuconazole, poised to enter clinical trials for chronic Chagas disease in the short term; inhibitors of cruzipain, the main cysteine protease of T. cruzi, essential for its survival and proliferation in vitro and in vivo; bisphosphonates, metabolic stable pyrophosphate analogs that have trypanocidal activity through the inhibition of the parasite's farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthase or hexokinase; inhibitors of trypanothione synthesis and redox metabolism and inhibitors of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl-transferase, an essential enzyme for purine salvage in T. cruzi and related organisms. Finally, the economic and political challenges faced by development of drugs for the treatment of neglected tropical diseases, which afflict almost exclusively poor populations in developing countries, are analyzed and recent potential solutions for this conundrum are discussed.
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Murcia L, Carrilero B, Munoz MJ, Iborra MA, Segovia M. Usefulness of PCR for monitoring benznidazole response in patients with chronic Chagas' disease: a prospective study in a non-disease-endemic country. J Antimicrob Chemother 2010; 65:1759-64. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkq201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Sosa-Estani S, Viotti R, Segura EL. Therapy, diagnosis and prognosis of chronic Chagas disease: insight gained in Argentina. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2010; 104 Suppl 1:167-80. [PMID: 19753472 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000900023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2009] [Accepted: 06/08/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to describe research findings regarding chronic Chagas disease in Argentina that have changed the standards of care for patients with Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Indirect techniques (serological tests) are still the main tools for the primary diagnosis of infection in the chronic phase, but polymerase chain reaction has been shown to be promising. The prognosis of patients with heart failure or advanced stages of chagasic cardiomyopathy is poor, but a timely diagnosis during the initial stages of the disease would allow for prescription of appropriate therapies to offer a better quality of life. Treatment of T. cruzi infection is beneficial as secondary prevention to successfully cure the infection or to delay, reduce or prevent the progression to disease and as primary disease prevention by breaking the chain of transmission. Current recommendations have placed the bulk of the diagnostic and treatment responsibility on the Primary Health Care System. Overall, the current research priorities with respect to Chagas disease should be targeted towards (i) the production of new drugs that would provide a shorter treatment course with fewer side effects; (ii) the development of new tools to confirm cure after a full course of treatment during the chronic phase and (iii) biomarkers to identify patients with a high risk of developing diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Centro Nacional de Diagnóstico e Investigación de Endemo-epidemias, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Gomes YM, Lorena VMB, Luquetti AO. Diagnosis of Chagas disease: what has been achieved? What remains to be done with regard to diagnosis and follow up studies? Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2010; 104 Suppl 1:115-21. [PMID: 19753466 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000900017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2009] [Accepted: 06/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the acute phase and in the chronic forms of Chagas disease, the etiological diagnosis may be performed by detection of the parasite using direct or indirect parasitological methods and by the presence of antibodies in the serum by way of serological tests. Several techniques are easily available, ranging from the simplest wet smear preparation to immuno-enzymatic assays with recombinant antigens that will meet most diagnostic needs. Other tests under evaluation include a molecular test using polymerase chain reaction, which has shown promising results and may be used as a confirmatory test both in the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Better rapid tests are needed for diagnosis, some of which are already under evaluation. Additionally, there is a need for tools that can identify patients cured shortly after specific treatment. Other needs include a marker for prognosis and early diagnosis of congenital transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yara M Gomes
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, Departamento de Imunologia, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães-Fiocruz, Recife, PE, Brasil.
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Urbina JA. Ergosterol biosynthesis and drug development for Chagas disease. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2010; 104 Suppl 1:311-8. [PMID: 19753490 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000900041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2009] [Accepted: 05/18/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents an overview of the currently available drugs nifurtimox (NFX) and benznidazole (BZN) used against Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas disease; herein we discuss their limitations along with potential alternatives with a focus on ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitors (EBI). These compounds are currently the most advanced candidates for new anti-T. cruzi agents given that they block de novo production of 24-alkyl-sterols, which are essential for parasite survival and cannot be replaced by a host's own cholesterol. Among these compounds, new triazole derivatives that inhibit the parasite's C14alpha sterol demethylase are the most promising, as they have been shown to have curative activity in murine models of acute and chronic Chagas disease and are active against NFX and BZN-resistant T. cruzi strains; among this class of compounds, posaconazole (Schering-Plough Research Institute) and ravuconazole (Eisai Company) are poised for clinical trials in Chagas disease patients in the short term. Other T. cruzi-specific EBI, with in vitro and in vivo potency, include squalene synthase, lanosterol synthase and squalene epoxidase-inhibitors as well as compounds with dual mechanisms of action (ergosterol biosynthesis inhibition and free radical generation), but they are less advanced in their development process. The main putative advantages of EBI over currently available therapies include their higher potency and selectivity in both acute and chronic infections, activity against NFX and BZN-resistant T. cruzi strains, and much better tolerability and safety profiles. Limitations may include complexity and cost of manufacture of the new compounds. As for any new drug, such compounds will require extensive clinical testing before being introduced for clinical use, and the complexity of such studies, particularly in chronic patients, will be compounded by the current limitations in the verification of true parasitological cures for T. cruzi infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Urbina
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela.
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Le Loup G, Lescure FX, Develoux M, Pialoux G. Maladie de Chagas : formes cliniques et prise en charge en zone non endémique. Presse Med 2009; 38:1654-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2009.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2008] [Revised: 01/07/2009] [Accepted: 01/14/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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Remesar MC, Gamba C, Colaianni IF, Puppo M, Sartor PA, Murphy EL, Neilands TB, Ridolfi MA, Leguizamón MS, Kuperman S, Del Pozo AE. Estimation of sensitivity and specificity of several Trypanosoma cruzi antibody assays in blood donors in Argentina. Transfusion 2009; 49:2352-8. [PMID: 19903291 PMCID: PMC2841448 DOI: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02301.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The absence of a gold standard test for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies represents a problem not only for the evaluation of screening tests, but also for appropriate blood donor counseling. The aim of this study was to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of multiple blood donor screening tests for T. cruzi antibodies in Argentina. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS From June 2006 to March 2007 a sample of 1455 blood donors was recruited from two blood banks in Chaco province, an area of Argentina with highly endemic T. cruzi infection. Samples were tested by three epimastigote lysate enzyme immunoassays (EIAs), one recombinant antigen EIA, two indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) tests, a particle agglutination assay (PA), and a research trans-sialidase inhibition assay (TIA). Sensitivity and specificity were estimated using latent class analysis (LCA). RESULTS LCA estimated the consensus prevalence of T. cruzi infection at 24.5%. Interassay correlation was higher among the four EIA tests and TIA compared to IHA tests. Assay sensitivities varied from 96 to 99.7 for different EIAs, 91% for TIA, 84% for PA, and 66 to 74% for IHA tests. Relative to the LCA, assay specificities were from 96% to almost 100%. CONCLUSION Based on the comparison of several tests in a large population from an endemic area for T. cruzi infection, our data showed an adequate sensitivity for EIA tests in contrast to PA and IHA assays. The latter tests should no longer be used for blood donor screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirta C Remesar
- Hospital de Pediatría Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Fernández MC, González Cappa SM, Solana ME. Trypanosoma cruzi: Immunological predictors of benznidazole efficacy during experimental infection. Exp Parasitol 2009; 124:172-80. [PMID: 19747482 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2009.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2009] [Revised: 08/13/2009] [Accepted: 09/03/2009] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
C3H/HeN male mice were infected with a lethal population of Trypanosoma cruzi and treated with benznidazole (Bz). Parasitemia, body weight and survival rate were registered during the therapy with significant improvement for T. cruzi-infected Bz-treated animals. Besides, flow cytometry resulted a useful method to discriminate between cured animals from those not cured by monitoring IgG(1) bound to live trypomastigotes levels. At the end of Bz therapy, the LT splenocyte compartment was studied for activation/memory cell surface markers (CD(69)(+) and CD(44)(+)). Cytofluorometric analysis showed that T. cruzi-infected untreated mice increased their activated LT numbers and this effect was completely abolished only in cured mice at the end of Bz administration. The same behavior was observed for the memory LT subpopulation correlating to an effector memory (CD(62L)(-)) displayed by T. cruzi infection. Bz treatment was able to modulate the immunological response by reducing the deleterious effect of the acute phase in all T. cruzi-infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- María C Fernández
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Britto CC. Usefulness of PCR-based assays to assess drug efficacy in Chagas disease chemotherapy: value and limitations. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104 Suppl 1:122-35. [DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000900018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2009] [Accepted: 06/01/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Jackson Y, Myers C, Diana A, Marti HP, Wolff H, Chappuis F, Loutan L, Gervaix A. Congenital transmission of Chagas disease in Latin American immigrants in Switzerland. Emerg Infect Dis 2009; 15:601-3. [PMID: 19331743 PMCID: PMC2671437 DOI: 10.3201/eid1504.080438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
International migration has changed the epidemiologic patterns of Chagas disease. Recently, 2 cases of Chagas disease transmitted from Latin American women to their newborns were diagnosed in Geneva, Switzerland. A retrospective study to detect Chagas disease showed a prevalence of 9.7% among 72 Latin American women tested during pregnancy in Switzerland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Jackson
- Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Jackson Y, Myers C, Diana A, Marti HP, Wolff H, Chappuis F, Loutan L, Gervaix A. Congenital Transmission of Chagas Disease in Latin American Immigrants in Switzerland. Emerg Infect Dis 2009. [DOI: 10.3201/1504.080438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children and, when disseminated, carries a poor prognosis. Even with aggressive combinations of chemotherapy, surgery, autologous bone marrow transplant, and radiation, long-term survival remains at 30% and new therapies are needed. Recently, a patient with neuroblastoma who acquired Chagas disease was treated with nifurtimox with subsequent reduction in tumor size. The effect of nifurtimox on the neuroblastoma cell lines CHLA-90, LA1-55n, LA-N2, SMS-KCNR, and SY5Y was examined. Nifurtimox decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Cell morphology, terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, and caspase-3 activation indicate that cell death was primarily due to apoptosis. Nifurtimox also suppressed basal and TrkB-mediated Akt phosphorylation, and the cytotoxicity of nifurtimox was attenuated by a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor (alpha-methyl-tyrosine). Nifurtimox killed catecholaminergic, but not cholinergic, autonomic neurons in culture. In vivo xenograft models showed inhibition of tumor growth with a histologic decrease in proliferation and increase in apoptosis. These results suggest that nifurtimox induces cell death in neuroblastoma. Therefore, further studies are warranted to develop nifurtimox as a promising new treatment for neuroblastoma.
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Milei J, Guerri-Guttenberg RA, Grana DR, Storino R. Prognostic impact of Chagas disease in the United States. Am Heart J 2009; 157:22-9. [PMID: 19081392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2008.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2008] [Accepted: 08/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A prior publication from our group reported the fact that Chagas disease is underdiagnosed. This review will summarize several aspects of Chagas disease in the United States including modes of transmission, which will demonstrate that clinicians should be more aware of the disease and its consequences. Trypanosoma cruzi is present in many animal species spread throughout most of the United States. Chagas disease also reaches the North American continent through immigration, making it more frequent than expected. Apart from immigration, non-endemic countries should be aware of transmissions through blood transfusions, organ transplantations, or mother-to-child infections. In conclusion, it is possible that many chagasic cardiomyopathies are being misdiagnosed as "primary dilated idiopathic cardiomyopathies." Recognizing that there is an evident threat of Chagas disease present in the United States will allow an increase of clinician's awareness and hence will permit to correctly diagnose and treat this cardiomyopathy. Health authorities should guarantee a generalized screening of T cruzi of blood donors, before organ donations, and of pregnant women who were born or have lived in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Milei
- Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas Prof Dr Alberto C Taquini (ININCA), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Cooley G, Etheridge RD, Boehlke C, Bundy B, Weatherly DB, Minning T, Haney M, Postan M, Laucella S, Tarleton RL. High throughput selection of effective serodiagnostics for Trypanosoma cruzi infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2008; 2:e316. [PMID: 18841200 PMCID: PMC2556098 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2008] [Accepted: 09/12/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection by direct pathogen detection is complicated by the low parasite burden in subjects persistently infected with this agent of human Chagas disease. Determination of infection status by serological analysis has also been faulty, largely due to the lack of well-characterized parasite reagents for the detection of anti-parasite antibodies. Methods In this study, we screened more than 400 recombinant proteins of T. cruzi, including randomly selected and those known to be highly expressed in the parasite stages present in mammalian hosts, for the ability to detect anti-parasite antibodies in the sera of subjects with confirmed or suspected T. cruzi infection. Findings A set of 16 protein groups were identified and incorporated into a multiplex bead array format which detected 100% of >100 confirmed positive sera and also documented consistent, strong and broad responses in samples undetected or discordant using conventional serologic tests. Each serum had a distinct but highly stable reaction pattern. This diagnostic panel was also useful for monitoring drug treatment efficacy in chronic Chagas disease. Conclusions These results substantially extend the variety and quality of diagnostic targets for Chagas disease and offer a useful tool for determining treatment success or failure. The diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection (the cause of human Chagas disease) is difficult because the symptoms of the infection are often absent or non-specific, and because the parasites themselves are usually below the level of detection in the infected subjects. Therefore, diagnosis generally depends on the measurement of T. cruzi–specific antibodies produced in response to the infection. However, current methods to detect anti–T. cruzi antibodies are relatively poor. In this study, we have conducted a broad screen of >400 T. cruzi proteins to identify those proteins which are best able to detect anti–T. cruzi antibodies. Using a set of proteins selected by this screen, we were able to detect 100% of >100 confirmed positive human cases of T. cruzi infection, as well as suspect cases that were negative using existing tests. This protein panel was also able to detect apparent changes in infection status following drug treatment of individuals with chronic T. cruzi infection. The results of this study should allow for significant improvements in the detection of T. cruzi infection and better screening methods to avoid blood transfusion–related transmission of the infection, and offer a crucial tool for determining the success or failure of drug treatment and other intervention strategies to limit the impact of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen Cooley
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - R. Drew Etheridge
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Courtney Boehlke
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Becky Bundy
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - D. Brent Weatherly
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Todd Minning
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Matthew Haney
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Miriam Postan
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Susana Laucella
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rick L. Tarleton
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Usefulness of the polymerase chain reaction for monitoring cure of mice infected with different Trypanosoma cruzi clonal genotypes following treatment with benznidazole. Exp Parasitol 2008; 120:45-9. [PMID: 18533149 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2007] [Revised: 03/03/2008] [Accepted: 04/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The capacity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the DNA of Trypanosoma cruzi was evaluated in 90 blood samples from BALB/c mice infected with T. cruzi cloned stocks of genotypes 19 and 20 (T. cruzi I) and 39 and 32 (T. cruzi II), and treated with benznidazole. The results from the fresh blood examination, hemoculture, and ELISA allowed to group the treated animals into: cured (TC), dissociated (DIS) and non-cured (NC). The PCR detected T. cruzi DNA in 50.9%, 58.3% and 100.0% of the samples from TC, DIS and NC mice, respectively. These DNA possibly derives from live T. cruzi or from recently lysed parasites, suggests that these animals are in fact not cured. The difference between the PCR results and results obtained using other techniques was statistically significant and independent of the parasite genotype. The PCR described has therefore potential to be used in cure control of treated patients.
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