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Utility of a Fluid Library with Samples of Humans, Reservoirs and Vectors Collected in Filter Paper, for Retrospective Diagnosis of American Trypanosomiasis in Endemic Areas of Venezuela

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Abstract

Introduction

We define a fluid library as a library of samples of different biological fluids (from humans, animals or vectors) collected and properly stored on filter paper, which allows retrospective studies, especially of diagnosis or detection of infectious agents in these samples, using different techniques. The objective of this work was the retrospective diagnosis of American trypanosomiasis by PCR in a Venezuelan endemic area using a fluid library.

Methods

A fluid library with samples that had been collected on filter paper, 5 years ago, was used for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA. 165 blood samples of humans, 30 samples of 25 animals (Didelphis marsupialis, Canis familiaris, Equus asinus and Felis catus) and 8 samples of vectors from endemic areas of Anzoátegui state, were analysed by PCR.

Results

The results revealed that 16.4% of the humans samples were positive, 11.1% of those detected positive were children younger than 10 years old, and 26.72% young people aged 11–20 years, suggesting that T. cruzi infection has been active for the past two decades. 56% of the animal samples showed amplification; Didelphis marsupialis 66%, Canis familiaris 54.5%, Equus asinus 50%, and Felis catus 33.3%. On the other hand, positivity (50%) was detected in the studied vectors, of which the 3 most important species in Venezuela (Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma maculata and Panstrongylus geniculatus) were involved.

Conclusions

The PCR using a fluid library allowed the detection of T. cruzi DNA in old samples from the three host of the epidemiological chain, suggesting that retrospective diagnosis can be made through this strategy and demonstrate that there has been active transmission, which helps to clarify the epidemiological situation in areas where there are no previous reports.

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Funding

Funding was provided by Projects: Misión Ciencia N° 2008000911-6, FONACIT, MPPS. Project FONACIT N° G-2005000827 and Project LOCTI-Universidad de Carabobo.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas “Dr. Francisco J. Triana Alonso” (BIOMED)Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Sede Aragua, Universidad de Carabobo, Calle Cecilio Acosta, Urb. La Rinconada, Las Delicias, Maracay, estado Aragua, Venezuela

    Mariela López, María Gabriela Rivera, Mercedes Viettri, María Lares & Elizabeth Ferrer

  2. Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical (IZET), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), Caracas, Venezuela

    Leidi Herrera

  3. Centro de Medicina Tropical de Oriente, Universidad de Oriente (UDO), Núcleo Anzoátegui, Barcelona, estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela

    Antonio Morocoima

  4. Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Sede Aragua, Universidad de Carabobo, Maracay, estado Aragua, Venezuela

    Elizabeth Ferrer

Authors
  1. Mariela López
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  2. Leidi Herrera
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  3. Antonio Morocoima
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  4. María Gabriela Rivera
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  5. Mercedes Viettri
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  6. María Lares
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  7. Elizabeth Ferrer
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Contributions

Conception and design—LH and EF; AM provision of study materials or patients—ML, MGR, ML and MV; perform experiments—ML, AM, LH and EF; data analysis and interpretation—LH and EF; manuscript writing—ML, MGR, ML, AM, MV, LH and EF; final approval of manuscript. None of the authors has any conflict of interest.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth Ferrer.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the human and care and use of animals were followed.

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López, M., Herrera, L., Morocoima, A. et al. Utility of a Fluid Library with Samples of Humans, Reservoirs and Vectors Collected in Filter Paper, for Retrospective Diagnosis of American Trypanosomiasis in Endemic Areas of Venezuela. Acta Parasit. 66, 287–293 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00281-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-020-00281-4

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