TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kann, Simone
A1  - Kunz, Meik
A1  - Hansen, Jessica
A1  - Sievertsen, Jürgen
A1  - Crespo, Jose J.
A1  - Loperena, Aristides
A1  - Arriens, Sandra
A1  - Dandekar, Thomas
T1  - Chagas disease: detection of Trypanosoma cruzi by a new, high-specific real time PCR
JF  - Journal of Clinical Medicine
N2  - Background: Chagas disease (CD) is a major burden in Latin America, expanding also to non-endemic countries. A gold standard to detect the CD causing pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi is currently not available. Existing real time polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) lack sensitivity and/or specificity. We present a new, highly specific RT-PCR for the diagnosis and monitoring of CD. Material and Methods: We analyzed 352 serum samples from Indigenous people living in high endemic CD areas of Colombia using three leading RT-PCRs (k-DNA-, TCZ-, 18S rRNA-PCR), the newly developed one (NDO-PCR), a Rapid Test/enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence. Eighty-seven PCR-products were verified by sequence analysis after plasmid vector preparation. Results: The NDO-PCR showed the highest sensitivity (92.3%), specificity (100%), and accuracy (94.3%) for T. cruzi detection in the 87 sequenced samples. Sensitivities and specificities of the kDNA-PCR were 89.2%/22.7%, 20.5%/100% for TCZ-PCR, and 1.5%/100% for the 18S rRNA-PCR. The kDNA-PCR revealed a 77.3% false positive rate, mostly due to cross-reactions with T. rangeli (NDO-PCR 0%). TCZ- and 18S rRNA-PCR showed a false negative rate of 79.5% and 98.5% (NDO-PCR 7.7%), respectively. Conclusions: The NDO-PCR demonstrated the highest specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy compared to leading PCRs. Together with serologic tests, it can be considered as a reliable tool for CD detection and can improve CD management significantly.
KW  - Chagas disease
KW  - Chagas diagnosis
KW  - Chagas monitoring
KW  - Chagas real time PCR
KW  - Trypanosoma cruzi
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-205746
SN  - 2077-0383
VL  - 9
IS  - 5
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kann, Simone
A1  - Bruennert, Daniela
A1  - Hansen, Jessica
A1  - Concha Mendoza, Gustavo Andrés
A1  - Crespo Gonzalez, José José
A1  - Armenta Quintero, Cielo Leonor
A1  - Hanke, Miriam
A1  - Hagen, Ralf Matthias
A1  - Backhaus, Joy
A1  - Frickmann, Hagen
T1  - High prevalence of intestinal pathogens in Indigenous in Colombia
JF  - Journal of Clinical Medicine
N2  - Background: Intestinal infections remain a major public health burden in developing countries. Due to social, ecological, environmental, and cultural conditions, Indigenous peoples in Colombia are at particularly high risk. Materials: 137 stool samples were analyzed by microscopy and real-time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), targeting protozoan parasites (Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., and Cyclospora cayetanensis), bacteria (Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., Shigella ssp./enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), Yersinia spp., enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxin-producing E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), and Tropheryma whipplei), and helminths (Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma spp., Trichuris. trichiura, Taenia spp., Hymenolepis nana, Enterobius vermicularis, and Schistosoma spp.). Microscopy found additional cases of helminth infections. Results: At least one pathogen was detected in 93% of the samples. The overall results revealed protozoa in 79%, helminths in 69%, and bacteria in 41%. G. intestinalis (48%), Necator/hookworm (27%), and EAEC (68%) were the most common in each group. Noteworthy, T. whipplei was positive in 7% and T. trichirua in 23% of the samples. A significant association of one infection promoting the other was determined for G. intestinalis and C. jejuni, helminth infections, and EIEC. Conclusions: The results illustrate the high burden of gastrointestinal pathogens among Indigenous peoples compared to other developing countries. Countermeasures are urgently required.
KW  - protozoa infections
KW  - helminthes
KW  - bacterial infections
KW  - gastrointestinal infection
Y1  - 2020
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-211289
SN  - 2077-0383
VL  - 9
IS  - 9
ER  -