High similarity of Trypanosoma cruzi kDNA genetic profiles detected by LSSP-PCR within family groups in an endemic area of Chagas disease in Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 47; no. 5; pp. 653 - 656
• Main Authors: Alkmim-Oliveira, Sandra Maria, Kappel, Henrique Borges, Andrade, Cristiane Pontes, Prata, Aluízio, Ramirez, Luis Eduardo, Correia, Dalmo, Lages-Silva, Eliane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 01-09-2014
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Brazil - epidemiology; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Chagas Disease - parasitology; Child; Child, Preschool; DNA, Kinetoplast - genetics; DNA, Protozoan; Endemic area; Female; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Humans; LSSP-PCR; Male; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - genetics; Trypanosoma cruzi - isolation & purification; Young Adult; Brazil
• ISSN: 1678-9849; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0255-2013

Determining the genetic similarities among Trypanosoma cruzi populations isolated from different hosts and vectors is very important to clarify the epidemiology of Chagas disease.
An epidemiological study was conducted in a Brazilian endemic area for Chagas disease, including 76 chronic chagasic individuals (96.1% with an indeterminate form; 46.1% with positive hemoculture).
T. cruzi I (TcI) was isolated from one child and TcII was found in the remaining (97.1%) subjects. Low-stringency single-specific-primer-polymerase chain reaction (LSSP-PCR) showed high heterogeneity among TcII populations (46% of shared bands); however, high similarities (80-100%) among pairs of mothers/children, siblings, or cousins were detected.
LSSP-PCR showed potential for identifying similar parasite populations among individuals with close kinship in epidemiological studies of Chagas disease.