Tests rápidos para diagnosticar el Chagas en Paraguay

The raspid tests Could be used to Diagnosis Chagas disease in limited areasAccording to a study led by the Institute of Global Health of Barcelona (ISGlobal), a center imported by the «La Caixa» Foundation. The results of the investigation of the results of this Negligible plos of tropical diseasesThey reveal that Chagas has a Six times mayor prevalence in an indigenous community of Paraguay that in the capital of the country.

The Cooling of ChagasCause for the parasite Trypanosoma CruziIt represents a grave Public health problem In the Americas. Between Six and seven million people They suffer from this disease, vector of principles of insects. He infradiagnosis It is one of the most important barriers in La Luuta against the parasite, which is reflected in that less than 1% of those affected receive treatment. Chagas is the main diagnosis of media would Serological techniques—The antibody antibodies T. Cruzi ESTE – In the chronic phase of the disease. With the aim of improving the accessibility of the diagnosis, the authority of Paraguay propusier a new algorithm for environments with limited resources: a Combinacia of rapid tests (RDT) followed by conventional serological tests, such as enzimilar immunoassay (Elisa).

«In July 2023, in the endemic community of Casanillo (An indigenous community of the Paraguayan Chaco), we made a Screening campaign two weeks in which participation 999 people«He explains Sofia Ardiles RuesjasIslobal researcher and first author of the study. «We were able to verify the effectiveness of combining RDT and serological tests, compared to the standard method recommended by PAHO and WHO, which uses only conventional serological tests,»

The power of the raspid tests

A tentina sensitivity and specificity, Specialized personal required conventional serological testsWhich are usually scarce in endemic regions. Even when these are available, accessor of the health centers can be accused for habitators.

The use of Raspid diagnosis tests Would offer a new approach: son easy to useThey work with a Minimum breast volume (By extra extracted a puncture on the finger), They do not need spic equipment And guarantee one Rapid obtaining intentions. The validated algorithm in the Protone study to use the RDT for a cibed barley of risky individuals in endemic areas, and thus reduces the use of serological test to the confirmation of the positive results.

«A participating body was made a Rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and that with a positive result were confirmed by two Serological techniques Different (Elisa-Colombinante and Elisa-Lisado), ”explains the Isglobal researcher.

Variability in the prevalence of Chagas between communities

The study results revealed a seroprevalence (percentage of people with antibodies against T. Cruzi) 12.6% in the Casanillo community, a significant figure exceeding 2.1% estimated a starting of Sanzre banks in Asunción. This shows the inequalities in health between urban and rural areas.

He algorithm that included raspid tests (RDT) demonstrated high concordance with the standard algorithm, with a Sensitivity of 94.6% and a specificity of 98.6%. These findings are fundamentals for public health initiatives, since They validate the combined use of RDTS and conventional serology, an algorithm of the proposed by the Paraguayan sanitary autorides for scarce environments.

«The results obtained in a relevant particular child in a context of reevaluation of the LASS guidelines of the diagnosis of diagnosis and treatment of the cooling of Chagas,» he says Irene LaadaCoordinator of the Chagas initiative in Isglobal and senior author of the study. «The adoption of RDT -based algorithms and adapted to Cadada Region could Improve access to the diagnosis of thousands of people in isolated regions«He concludes.

Reference

Ardiles-Ruesjas, S., Lesmo, V., González-Romer S., Sanz, S., Becker, SL, Alonso-Padilla, J. and Losada, I. (2025). Prevalence and diagnostic precision of different diagnostic tests for Chagas disease in an indigenous community of the Paraguayan Chaco. Negligible plos of tropical diseases, 19(2), E0012861. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012861