Direct agglutination reaction for the diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease
Apt, W.; Arribada, A.; Meza, M.; Sandoval, J.
Revista Medica de Chile 106(1): 16-18
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-9887 PMID: 416477 Document Number: 124894
A direct agglutination reaction was employed using a commercial antigen prepared enzymatically from epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi and the sera were pretreated with 2-mercaptoethanol. Sera were obtained from 472 persons aged 3 to 90 years in North Central Chile. By direct agglutination 29% were positive, 12% uncertain and 59% negative. By indirect haemagglutination, 34% were positive and 66% were negative. The 2 tests agreed in 86% of positives and 89% of negatives. Direct agglutination yielded 0.6% false negatives and 1.9% false positives. It is recommended for epidemiological surveys.