The first case of congenital Chagas' disease analyzed by AP-PCR in Colombia

• Published in: Biomédica Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 513 - 522
• Main Authors: Pavia, Paula Ximena, Montilla, Marleny, Flórez, Carolina, Herrera, Giomar, Ospina, Juan Manuel, Manrique, Fred, Nicholls, Rubén Santiago, Puerta, Concepción
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Colombia 01-12-2009
• Subjects: Adult; Chagas Disease - congenital; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Chagas Disease - parasitology; Chagas Disease - transmission; Colombia - epidemiology; DNA, Protozoan - analysis; DNA, Protozoan - genetics; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Male; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Parasitemia - parasitology; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - parasitology; Trypanosoma cruzi - classification; Trypanosoma cruzi - genetics; Trypanosoma cruzi - isolation & purification; Colombia
• ISSN: 0120-4157

The main route of Chagas disease transmission is through vectors of the insect family Reduviidae. However, the parasite can also be transmitted from infected mothers to their fetus in utero. Until now, no cases of congenital Chagas disease have been reported in Colombia.
A congenital Chagas disease case occurred in Moniquirá County, Boyacá, Colombia. It was confirmed by comparing strains isolated from the mother and her baby using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with arbitrary primers.
The parasite DNA was extracted from positive blood cultures of the afflicted mother and her son. The species confirmation and group detection were performed by PCR. The strain genotypes were determined by AP-PCR with two oligonucleotides based on the genes for the b-globin (5'-CCTCACCTTCTTTCATGGAG-3') and 16S RrNA (5'-ACGGGCAGTGTGTACAAGACC-3'), in different reactions.
The T. cruzi strains isolated from the blood cultures of the mother and her son showed the same amplification profile by the two AP-PCR tests; this corresponded with profiles of the T. cruzi I strains used as controls. However, T. cruzi II was also found in the blood culture from the newborn.
This is the first case of Chagas disease transmission reported in Moniquirá, demonstrating that this form of transmission occurs in Colombia. The presence of both groups of T. cruzi in the newborn sample suggests mixed infection in the mother as well, with a higher prevalence of T. cruzi I, at least in the mother's blood culture.